Emulation of Apathy
by Slytherstein
Summary: After walking away from his fight with Naruto, Sasuke begins his years of training under Orochimaru. He soon discovers that every day is an amusing, albeit disturbing adventure with him and Kabuto. Relentlessly tormented by his past, one thing alone keeps him resolute: maintaining an apathetic demeanor and envisioning the demise of Uchiha Itachi. Collab w/ The.Teal.Rose & Lehrain.
1. The First Step

**Emulation of Apathy**

**Author:** Slytherstein

**Rating:** T

**Spoilers:** All

**Genre:** Angst/Adventure

**Main Character(s):** Uchiha Sasuke

**Secondary Character(s):** Orochimaru, Yakushi Kabuto, Tamaki, Uchiha Itachi, and Haruno Sakura

**Ship(s):** SasukexTamaki, ItachixSakura, OrochimaruxTsunade (one-sided), KabutoxGuren

**Summary: **After walking away from his fight with Naruto, Sasuke begins his years of training under Orochimaru. He soon discovers that every day is an amusing, albeit disturbing adventure with him and Kabuto. Relentlessly tormented by his past, one thing alone keeps him resolute: maintaining an apathetic demeanor and envisioning the demise of Uchiha Itachi. Collab w/ The. Teal. Rose & Lehrain.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto, sole ownership goes to the creators.

**A/N:** This is a fic which will lead into a collaboration with The. Teal. Rose's "Illusions of Serenity" and Lehrain's "Vigil of Sorrows." Their stories center around an illusionary realm that Itachi and Sakura end up in together after she countered his genjutsu with her Inner Sakura (the world is mainly based off the Shivering Isles). "Illusions of Serenity" is told from Itachi's POV, and "Vigil of Sorrows" is told from Sakura's. To get the full experience of any of our three stories, it is recommended that you read all of them. My story will be set in the two and a half years that lead up to the events that take place in their stories, and when all the stories meet, mine will be the one told from Sasuke's POV.

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Emulation of Apathy

Chapter I

"The First Step"

…

'_One foot in front of the other…'_

That was key. He had to keep thinking this. It was the only thing that kept him moving. His entire body was aching, every intake of breath shots daggers of pain throughout his entire being, and the blood continued to slowly trickle down the side of his mouth. The rain overhead numbed his senses, sent sudden chills down his spine, but it hurt to shiver. He had to resist the innate urge, otherwise the agony would be too much to bear.

He fought to force his eyes open, he could feel himself nodding off, but in the end, he barely managed a narrow line of vision. It was the best he could do, in his current state. He was fighting against his body enough, as it was, and his eyesight offered minimal aid in the dark forest. However, this narrow line was imperative. Without it, his eyelids would droop, and he would pass out from exhaustion in minutes. Then, whoever was still following him would find him. After all, it was not as though he had done much to cover up his tracks.

They would find him, as there undoubtedly more Konoha members making their way to Naruto and the others. And if he was lying unconscious on the forest floor, there would be nothing he could do to resist them. In fact, he doubted there was anything he would be able to do to resist them, as it was, but if he put enough distance between them, resistance would be beside the point. Therefore, all he could do was increase the distance.

'_One foot in the front of the other…'_

His feet dragged in the mud, his legs attempted to send the signal to his brain that it was enough, that he needed to stop. But he could not stop. If they found him, he would never reach his goal. There was nothing for him in Konoha. That village offered nothing more than a barrier, a fortification against what he sought. Not only was it a wall, but it was a weight on him from all directions.

Naruto…

Sakura…

Kakashi-sensei…

It was as though the string Kakashi had tied around him to force him to listen was still tugging on him, trying to pull him back. There were three, distinct strands, each with its own weight at the end. One weight, his mentor—the man who had taught him almost everything he knew, the man who had confronted him and made him realize he was not alone, the man who had also experienced loss. The second weight, Sakura—the seemingly frivolous girl who actually had an impressive willpower, the girl who cared deeply for him, who had cried at the notion of parting, the girl who would do anything to stay by his side. And the final weight, Uzumaki Naruto—the boy who had declared him his rival, who had only a year ago graduated at the bottom of their class, the boy who he had stepped in front of a shower of needles to protect and who, in turn, had thrown himself in front of a giant snake for him, the boy who now stood on such equal ground with him that he had placed him within an inch of his life.

The boy he considered his closest friend…

In Konoha, he was confined to the prison that its walls instilled, and, in all directions, he would be pulled deeper and deeper into the depths of that village. Because these weights would tie him down, and, as long as he was in Konoha, there would be no way to sever those ties. He was resolved, however, to leave it all behind.

'_One foot in front of the other…'_

He could feel the weights slowly lifting with each footfall. It was an agonizing process, but he was determined. This was the only way he could reach his goal. The only way he could finally attain enough power, enough power to fulfill the task that he had dedicated his entire life to carrying out.

This was the only way he could become strong enough to defeat his brother.

Yes. It would all be worthwhile, in the end. When he finally had the satisfaction of seeing all the suffering, all the terror Uchiha Itachi had thrust upon every member of their village at last reflected in that murderous bastard's eyes, then, and only then, would this be at an end. Then, he could be at peace.

His left arm was throbbing again, and he lifted his right hand to firmly grasp it, to ease the pain. But his grip was so weak, it did little good. Too sore to even care, however, he left his hand in place, as he slid one muddy foot in front of the other, sweeping leaves out of their rest and forcing them deeper into the damp earth beneath him.

As he forced himself in his lethargic walk, his mind began to wander. And as his mind wandered, his vision blurred. Scenes of his past began to soar in front of him, growing much clearer than any dark forest could be, and as he allowed them to surge through him, the first vision he came upon was his father.

The man had his back to him, the Uchiha fan shining proudly on his back. This was usually the case, though. He always faced away from his youngest son, insisting on keeping his eyes fixed on his eldest, and him alone.

But in this rare memory, something was different. His father was speaking to him. And the words he spoke were the words his son had yearned to hear his entire life…

"_You are my son, indeed."_

The one time his father had said this to him was after a disagreement he had experienced with his older son. Itachi had slandered the clan name, had thrown a shuriken directly at the clan symbol on the wall, but, because of his younger brother's intervention, the police had refrained from arresting him for it. It was during this time that their father had finally acknowledged his younger son, had conveyed the words to him that he had so often conveyed to the Uchiha prodigy.

It was as though he would only ever be good enough for his father in comparison with his brother. The one time his father had finally said those words to him was to spite Itachi. He was quite certain that, no matter how impressive the fire blast would have been, his father would have never acknowledged it if he was on good terms with the man destined to kill him.

However, even as he thought this, a new memory surfaced.

His mother was smiling at him from across the kitchen table, her large onyx eyes kind and warm. In her smile, she closed her eyes and pointed at herself, to emphasize her words…

"_When he's alone with me, your dad only talks about you."_

At the time, this had been more than enough to cheer him up. But now, he wondered if she had only uttered those words for the sake of taking the gloomy expression away from his face. Or, perhaps, she had misinterpreted his father. Perhaps his mother had been the one to bring him up in conversation with her husband, and, by simply responding, his father had seemed as though he was talking about his younger son. Admittedly, his mother had never been the most intelligent person in the world. But she was the nicest person he had ever known, and she was willing to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

In that same moment, his vision flashed to another recollection…

"_You and I are unique brothers."_

_He was eight-years-old again, and he was sitting on their porch, his Grade Book set on the floor behind him. The sun was slowly setting below the horizon, drowning the entire world in a pleasant orange hue. And beside him, his older brother had his head bowed and his eyes closed. He was speaking._

"_As an obstacle you need to overcome, I…I'll always be there for you."_

_Itachi lifted his black eyes to rest on his younger brother with a smile. His usual, kind smile. Undoubtedly, he had gotten it from their mother._

"_Even if you ended up hating me."_

…In a flash, that kind smile was replaced by the image of his father and his mother lying in a pool of their own blood.

Blood.

Blood was splattered all across the room. And the image flashed to another. Uchiha Itachi, his eyes focused on him in a glare, the distinctive shape of the Mangekyou Sharingan in those crimson irises. Appropriately, the color of blood. Another flash of memories…

"_You are like me, one who is capable of awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan within. However, there is a special condition…"_

_His brother was standing in front of him. He had stepped in his path, blocking the child's vain attempt at escape. A black cloud overhead drifted in front of the pale moon, darkening the atmosphere, and a strong gust of wind caught a flurry of leaves and his brother's hair, blowing them skyward._

…The remembering, it made him numb. It made him want to stop, to fall into a mangled heap on the forest floor and never move forward. But he kept telling himself the same thing, the same phrase that was growing monotonous.

'_One foot in front of the other…'_

…_His brother was glaring at him, the wind delicately catching the long bangs in front of his face._

"_Your closest friend, you must…"_

And this was what finally made him pause in his footsteps. It made him turn his head just a fraction, his dark eyes staring back the way he had come, as if he would somehow be able to still catch a glimpse of that spiked blond hair, of those bright cerulean eyes, of that energetic smile. And that narrow line he had been forcing for so long closed, his eyelids falling as he lowered his head…

_And Itachi's eyes widened._

"…_kill him!"_

He turned his head away, facing forward once more. All around him, it had become eerily silent. The rain that had been his constant companion since Naruto had fallen unconscious was now absent. It had left this forest, deserted the leaves overhead, just as he was deserting the Village of the Leaf.

In the silence, his brother's words ran through his head. They ran through his head over and over and over again. Uchiha Itachi wanted him to kill his closest friend. This was the secret to unlocking the Mangekyou Sharingan, the secret of the Uchiha clan. The secret to obtaining that rare, coveted power.

To kill his closest friend…

To kill Uzumaki Naruto…

To kill Naruto…

He could not do that! He could not kill Naruto! But, why? Why could he not kill him? If it was to gain more power, he should not resist. Nothing should stay his hand. He had made a vow, a vow to his parents. To his aunt. To all of his clan. There was nothing he would not do to avenge the lives his brother had stolen.

Then, why?

'I will not…do as you want me to!' he thought. And with that, his eyes flew open. A newfound determination took hold of him. He needed to move forward. He could not stop, he could not allow anyone to hold him back, to tie him down, to pull him away from his vendetta. He needed to keep moving.

'_One foot in front of the other…'_

He managed to slide his left foot. Slowly, he lifted his right and forced it in front. Then his left again. He continued moving.

'I will gain power my way,' he thought. 'I will surpass you my way! For sure!'

He continued further and further into the darkness of the forest. Suddenly, his wounds did not ache as they had before. His legs, though still wobbly and still forcing him to walk with a slight limp, did not protest his every step as they had. He felt strength returning to his fingers, and he grasped his left arm tighter, and he felt a satisfying relief as the pain that had been surging through his arm began to slowly ebb away. The blood was no longer trickling from his mouth, which meant whatever injuries he had suffered were not too severe and he would be able to put a little more strain on himself.

Therefore, he quickened his pace. Barely, but it was enough for him to notice a difference. The coordinates those idiotic Sound Ninja had passed to him of Orochimaru's current hideout was ringing through his head, and he realized he was getting much closer than he had realized. Finally. If Naruto had managed to obtain that much power so quickly after training under a Legendary Sannin, he had high expectations of his own training. Orochimaru had fought against both Jiraiya and the current Hokage. In a weakened state, no less. Of the three, he was undoubtedly the most powerful.

He would surpass Naruto.

Never again would that boy be able to push him to these limits. Never again would he be within an inch of his life after a fight with his friend, and he would never have to feel these aches again over such a needless battle. He would train rigorously, devote every waking hour to learning as much as he could from the Master of Snakes. The Frog Master's pupil would be no match for him.

And he would surpass Itachi.

There would be no gap between his older brother and himself. Next time he faced that man, he would be sure to take his life. He would be ready for him.

The darkness thickened the longer he walked, and he could feel that it was not simply the thickening of trees, but also the impending approach of nightfall. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves around him, sweeping a pile from the forest floor and letting them dance around his feet as he progressed in his path. Not long after, however, it fell still once more. The stillness overtook the entire forest, and he knew it had reached that pivotal point in the day: just after dusk, when all the day dwellers had burrowed into their homes or flow into their nests, but just before the completion of nightfall, when the nocturnal animals would emerge and begin scouring for food. It had fallen into a silent stillness.

There was no chirping blue jay to disturb his thoughts, nor hooting owl to draw his attention. No raindrops overhead, no breeze beneath his footfalls, no pestering animals above or below. No. He was alone. Alone with the quiet.

He trudged on, placing one foot in front of the other, forcing himself continuously forward. Until, finally, he stopped short. Standing before him, there was a large, concrete structure. Smooth, stone stairs led down into the open archway, an archway that revealed nothing but a seemingly endless blackness that would engulf any who dared enter. And on the lintel, there were inscribed two snakes.

'What…an obvious entrance,' he thought to himself. He wondered if, perhaps, there was some trick to this.

At that moment, however, he caught sight of a speck of white within the unending blackness. Slowly, it grew more focused, the white intensifying and taking form, until he realized it was a head of hair. Yes, it was most definitely hair, pulled back into a messy ponytail. As the figure emerged and stepped out of the black archway, recognition was complete.

Yakushi Kabuto.

He was the man who had helped them through the second part of the Chuunin Exams, the one who had prevented Naruto and Sakura from opening the scroll, and the one who had guided them to the tower and aided them in attaining the accompanying scroll. The man who had approached them when they had first entered the exam room, who had relayed all the information he knew gathered from past Chuunin Exams to the recent graduates. The man who had fallen into a cycle of never passing his exam, and who had mysteriously raised his hand to back out before the preliminary matches had even begun.

Yes…the man who he had known there was more to than met the eye. He had known there was more to Kabuto than it seemed, and all of his suspicions were finally appeased. So, this was what the mysterious man had been hiding. And this was why he had opted to aid them so readily.

"Sasuke-kun," the man spoke, pushing his glasses up the brim of his nose, and he smiled pleasantly. "You finally arrived. Orochimaru-sama was growing rather restless." When no response came, Kabuto's smile widened, and he turned back the way he had come, facing that unending darkness. "Come with me. We'll dress those wounds, and then I'll take you to him."

'_One foot in front of the other…'_

He had to tell this to himself several times, yet still, his foot would not budge. He was momentarily frozen, pausing in deliberation. Once he followed Kabuto and descended into that blackness, there would be no turning back. He had to refortify every ounce of resolve, and to do this, he let his mind linger on one thing, and one thing only: Uchiha Itachi.

This was the push he needed. The memory of those crimson eyes, glaring out at him, his figure barely discernible in the pale moonlight, standing over the lifeless bodies of their mother and father. Yes. This was all he needed.

'_One foot in front of the other…'_

He nodded his head. Lifting one foot, he stepped forward and then placed it gently on the ground in front of the other.

And with that, Uchiha Sasuke took the first step into darkness.


	2. The Chosen One?

**A/N: Thank you everyone who favorited, reviewed and is now following this story. Be sure to read The. Teal. Rose's "Illusions of Serenity" and Lehrain's "Vigil of Sorrows." Hope you enjoy the next chapter and review.**

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Emulation of Apathy

Chapter II

"The Chosen One?"

…

It was a very dark room, and it felt even colder in here than it had outside. Against one wall, there was a row of monitors, which, upon further speculation, all seemed to overlook different areas of this hideout. There were two focused on the entrance, and most of the others' attention seemed fixed on what looked like prison cells. Where he was sitting, he guessed it was some sort of bed. Hospital bed, perhaps. There were wires that connected to the bed, but most of them had been severed.

Just the thought of what might have been lying here before him made him cringe.

"Oh, too tight?"

Sasuke's onyx gaze fixed immediately on the man beside him, and he realized Kabuto was referring to the bandage he was currently applying.

"It's fine," Sasuke deadpanned, returning to facing forward.

"Oh, that's a relief," Kabuto's pleasant smile returned, and Sasuke began to wonder if this was some default expression he reverted to innately. "Be sure to let me know, though. Orochimaru-sama wants you in prime health as quickly as possible. Have to start your training, you know."

"Training…," Sasuke mused, his stare growing distant.

Yes, his training. His sole purpose for being here. The sooner he started, the sooner he would finally be able to surpass his older brother, and the sooner he could watch the life leave his eyes. He would become stronger. Stronger so that no one would be able to stop him. With a slight nod of his head, he decided that by the end of his training, he would surpass even Orochimaru.

"Good," he said simply.

"Unfortunately, I think it's going to have to be put off a couple of weeks," Kabuto informed him, and Sasuke's eyes shot to him with a glare. "Oh, don't worry," the man quickly reassured him. "With my healing technique, you should patch up very quickly. But you aren't the only one who's healing. You see, Orochimaru-sama was also injured, and we'll be moving locations soon, so it will put further strain on both of your injuries. At the new location, though, you should be able to start."

Pausing in the bandaging to push his glasses back up the brim of his nose, Kabuto told him, "I'll be sure to choose one with a good training area."

At this, Sasuke furrowed his brow. "How many hideouts are there?"

"Oh, quite a few," the older ninja nodded his head. "Don't worry, Sasuke-kun. I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to see them all."

As Kabuto commenced wrapping the bandages around his torso, the young Uchiha considered his words silently. So, they were to be moving frequently. It was the only conclusion that could be drawn from their exchange. It made sense. They would have to avoid anyone's notice, making sure to never settle in one place for too long. In all, it was a smart move. It must be how no one was able to track the Sannin after he first left Konoha.

Still, it was kind of an off-putting prospect. He had never particularly enjoyed constant change, and it seemed as though it would be unavoidable now. Well, he had made his decision. This was only one of the many consequences he was sure would follow, but he was determined. Besides, there was no turning back, now.

"If you're a fan of the beach," Kabuto was currently saying, and Sasuke glanced over at him in bewilderment, "we have a lovely hideout in the Hidden Village of the Mist. It's its own island. We won't be heading there first, of course. It doesn't have a particularly good training area, but I'm sure we can make arrangements for one to be installed."

Sasuke offered the man no response, not quite sure why he insisted on holding conversation. Or why he decided to bring up such an odd point of discussion.

"Personally, I've always preferred forests, myself," Kabuto continued. "But, there's something to be said for the beach. Do you like the beach, Sasuke-kun?"

"I don't like a lot of things," Sasuke replied in mild annoyance.

"Ah," the man nodded in understanding. "Well, I suppose that's just as well. I'll have a training area installed regardless, as I'm sure it will benefit us to head that way from time to time."

Kabuto was an awfully chatty fellow when he was being himself. Sasuke marveled at this realization, wondering how he had not noticed sooner. Perhaps it was because, in the past, he had viewed him as an older student who could aid him through the exams, and any amount of talkativeness had been on immediately relevant information.

Now, it was on…well, who the hell knew? Pleasantries, perhaps?

"There, that should do it," Kabuto nodded his head proudly, making one final adjustment and then taking a step back. "How does that feel?"

"Fine," Sasuke's tone was dry, and he rose to his feet without waiting for instruction. Putting his arms inside the sleeves of the robe he had been given, he then fastened it securely and focused his gaze on Kabuto. "Take me to Orochimaru."

"Of course," Kabuto assured him with a smile and a patronizing wave of his hand. "Just give me a moment."

The young Uchiha resolved to wait, but he slowly grew more irritated the longer he watched Kabuto. It seemed as if the man was determined to try his patience. He tidied up the room and returned all his utensils, medicinal artifacts and leftover bandages to their appropriate compartments, before crossing the room and checking all the monitors several times. He proceeded to insert a few commands on the keyboard, and then walked back and began to fix all the wires that were hanging over the bed.

By the time he walked back to Sasuke with his same pleasant smile, the boy was scowling up at him.

"Follow me, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto instructed, seemingly completely unaffected by his mood as he led the way out of the cold room and down a long, dark hallway than felt even colder.

The entire building was a concrete structure, built in such a way that there were no curves. Every wall was perfectly straight. It brought to mind the image of an underground laboratory. However, as his black eyes wandered to the cement ceiling, and he took note of the water that dripped from the many leaks overhead, Sasuke decided it also reminded him of a sewer. Except for the smell, of course. In fact, now that he thought of it, this place had a surprisingly sterile scent and feel in the air. As if it was _too_ clean.

As if it was trying to cover up some horrendous stench.

'Makes sense,' he thought to himself. 'After all, who knows what they've been experimenting on down here?'

When they came to a flight of stairs and began to descend further, Sasuke decided that he was going to commit everything to memory. That way, he would not have to rely on Kabuto's assistance in the future. Or anyone's assistance, for that matter. He would find his own way around these hideouts. As he decided this, he made a mental note to remember to ask the older Genin for maps of all the locations. After all, the man seemed borderline obsessive-compulsive, and he doubted someone like that would overlook a detail as pivotal as designing a map.

They took several turns, and, as they progressed, the walls began to change. Glancing on either side, Sasuke realized they were cells, cells that protruded deep into the walls and held throngs of people, who were all huddled together. It was a disgusting sight, and the sterile scent was beginning to fade, to be replaced by that odor it had no doubt been attempting to cover up.

He lowered his gaze to the ground, his brow furrowed in concentration and his mouth set in a scowl. It was not the first time wondering exactly what sort of people he had gotten himself involved with, but he forced this thought to the back of his mind. Rather, he began to revisit memories of his brother, memories of that fateful night, memories of his first encounter with him in almost 5 years. And it was enough to quickly extinguish any notions of hesitation.

In fact, the mere thought of Uchiha Itachi seemed to instinctively activate his own Sharingan.

Sasuke was scowling at the ground, his eyes set in a glare, when he saw the feet of a figure standing in front of him. He came to a slow halt, and he realized that, without even noticing, he had begun to walk ahead of Kabuto.

It was then that he heard the familiar, deep rasp of Orochimaru's voice. "You came."

He hesitated only a moment, before lifting his eyes to focus his glare on the figure before him.

Every time he saw this man, he beheld a different appearance. First, it was that strange looking man in the second trial of the Chuunin exams. Then, he had simply been in the form of a giant snake. After this, the skin on his face had shed to reveal snakelike eyes, a sickly white face, and sharp, purple lines protruding from the insides of his eyes. This time, the man before him was bandaged from head to toe, the usual long, black hair replaced by short white hair that spiked up in various directions. The only aspect even remotely recognizable was the one eye that had been left unbandaged, and it stared down at him with the same intensity it always seemed to adopt.

Turning his back to him, the Sannin instructed, "Now then, let's go."

Sasuke did not move at first, merely staring after him with a blank expression as the Sharingan deactivated. He was unsure what he was referring to, where they were supposed to be going, but he did not verbalize his questions. Rather, he proceeded to merely furrow his brow a fraction and fall into step behind him, and Kabuto did the same.

Orochimaru was now gazing at him from over his shoulder, his yellow-green eyes fixated in such a way he looked almost possessed, the single slit in place of a pupil growing ever thinner.

As they progressed, however, he faced forward once more, and Sasuke relaxed his stance. It was very unnerving, the way that man stared at him, but he would have to put up with it. This was a necessary step in achieving the strength he needed to defeat that cold-blooded killer, and that was worth everything.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru spoke again, in that same raspy voice. "You're the chosen one."

The young Uchiha's eyes narrowed into a glare once more. It was not the first time Orochimaru had hinted at this line of thought, and frankly, Sasuke had no idea what the hell the man was on about. But it really did not matter, that was not his point in coming here.

"I don't care," he told him, and he felt himself growing even more impatient with this whole predicament. "Hurry up and give me power."

The man turned his head to gaze at him from over his shoulder once more, but his expression was impossible to read.

On Sasuke's left, Kabuto leaned forward and cupped a hand to his mouth so his whisper would be more effective. "Even though his appearance is different," Kabuto whispered in his ear, "the person in front of you is Orochimaru-sama."

Though his countenance remained unchanged, Sasuke internally rolled his eyes. As if he did not know that. Honestly, how stupid did Kabuto think he was?

However, the man continued, "If you don't want to die, you better be careful of what you say."

At this, Sasuke rounded his glare on Kabuto, and the man immediately jerked his hand away from him, as if he had actually experienced physical shock, and he took a quick step back. He stared down at him with wide eyes and mouth slightly agape, his expression conveying one of both surprise and terror.

'How jumpy _is_ he?' Sasuke wondered, returning his black eyes to face forward, where he noticed Orochimaru was staring back at him with that same, intense gaze. 'And how is it that _I_ make him jump, when he doesn't seem the least bit affected by that unnerving stare?'

Nevertheless, he kept a blank façade, save the usual scowl, and he followed the Master of Snakes down the long, dark hallway, past the many cells, until they reached a flight of stairs that ascended back to the upper level. As they reached the top and turned a corner, Sasuke began to question the point of even meeting in that lower hallway if they were going to end up back upstairs as it was.

Deciding it was probably best not to try to understand their logic, he let his eyes wander over Orochimaru's appearance, taking in his current state, and he wondered what exactly he had done since last he had seen him to put himself into such a damaged state. Surely this was not all from his fight with the Third. Or even from his fight with Jiraiya and Tsunade, for that matter. He should have had adequate time to heal from both events. What, then, was the cause for these bandages which now covered his entire body? Did these two really find themselves in trouble that often?

When they took a right turn, Kabuto rushed forward and said, "Orochimaru-sama, we're not leaving today. Don't you remember? We discussed this."

"Did we?" Orochimaru turned and focused his snake eyes on the young man.

"Hm," Kabuto paused to rub his hand against his chin, as if pondering the matter. "Perhaps I neglected to mention it."

"Kabuto," Orochimaru tsked him. "This is very unlike you."

"Well," the younger ninja shrugged his shoulders, "either way, I thought it would be wise to leave in two days, so that both you and Sasuke-kun can have time to heal before the move, and so I can finish up the research reports. Also, we still need to arrange for a jailer to keep this place in check while we're away. The ninja from Konoha killed all of the members we normally station here."

"Astute as always, Kabuto," the Sannin nodded his head in approval, and it was obvious that there was a smile in his voice.

Sasuke kept the same scowl, but he marveled at these two. How was that even remotely intelligent? It seemed more like common sense, than anything else. And had Orochimaru actually been planning to just leave immediately? No explanation, just walk out the front door? And how could Kabuto forget whether or not he had conveyed his plans to stay a few extra days? And why did Orochimaru just accept this recommendation without question?

Needless to say, he found himself in a state of bewilderment, and he barely noticed when his feet began to move to follow the two older ninja back the way they had come.

"I just had an excellent idea a few minutes ago," Kabuto informed his superior as he fell in step beside him.

"Oh?"

"Yes," Kabuto nodded. "What if we were to install a better training area in our Mist hideout?"

Orochimaru faced forward, and his one visible eye tilted in such a way that revealed his smile had returned. "You continue to impress me, Kabuto."

Sasuke blinked twice. He had _just_ come up with that idea a few minutes ago? Meaning, in the process of their conversation? What was so excellent about that, anyway? Frankly, it would have been more impressive if the two men had thought ahead to have adequate training facilities built in every hideout initially.

"Sasuke-kun," Kabuto glanced over his shoulder to offer the boy a smile. "Are you hungry?"

He offered no response, however. He simply kept his glare fixed on the man in glasses.

Kabuto's smile faded and he looked a little frightened again, but when he looked up at Orochimaru, he seemed reassured by something. "Very well, we'll have our meal, and then I'll show you to your room."

"What did you prepare tonight?" Orochimaru asked, and Sasuke furrowed his brow.

'Kabuto is the cook, too?' he thought.

"I thought you should take it easy on your new body, so I made your favorite soup," Kabuto replied pleasantly.

New body? What the hell was he on about?

"Ahhh," Orochimaru nodded his head as he pressed his eye shut. "I can already taste it."

Kabuto smiled in turn, before facing forward and leading the way down the many turns the hallway decided to take. Finally, he came to a stop outside a particular steel door, and he pulled a key from his pocket. After it clicked, Kabuto pushed the door open and then stepped aside so the other two could enter.

Sasuke let his dark eyes wander as he took in his surroundings. The room was rather bare. Every room in this damp building seemed bare, now that he thought of it. There was a narrow table, around which had been set 8 chairs, and a pair of candle sticks burnt dimly atop the wooden edifice. There was a small door at the opposite end of the room, which no doubt led into the kitchen, but aside from that, there was nothing else to see.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru addressed him, but Sasuke made no motion he had even heard him. "You will sit on my left. Kabuto always gets the right side, you see."

"I'll just sit here," Sasuke walked past the two and took a seat at the foot of the table, not entirely inclined to sit beside either of them. When neither objected to his decision, he wondered if it had been an order, as Orochimaru had made it sound, or merely a suggestion. It was hard to tell anything for certain with this man.

"Kabuto, is the soup ready?" Orochimaru asked, and, by the tone of his voice, he seemed quite unaffected by the fact that Sasuke had disregarded his command.

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto replied, and he crossed the distance of the small room and pulled the opposite door open, just as Orochimaru closed the door that led into the hall.

Sasuke could hear the man moving behind him, and he involuntarily stiffened at the prospect, but when Orochimaru was merely walked around the table to take his seat at the head, the boy relaxed in his stance. Folding his hands in front of him on the table, the young Uchiha leaned back in his chair and let his eyes wander around the small dining room once more. It really was very bare.

"When your condition is better, we will begin training," he heard Orochimaru's rasp pull him back, and he simply averted his black eyes a fraction to rest on the man seated across the table. "Before such time, however, I will need to know the extent of your training. Tell me, what has Kakashi taught you?"

"The basics, and then some of his own talents," Sasuke returned dryly. "When my tournament with the sand ninja was interrupted at the Chuunin exams, the referee told me that my skill level was adequate for that of a Chuunin, and I have only become stronger since then. I have a fully developed Sharingan, but I have yet to master it. I can use Chidori, but the number of times it is at my disposal is severely limited, and it still takes a fair amount of time to charge. I have-"

"Here's your soup!" Kabuto cut off the young Uchiha as he walked briskly out of the kitchen and set the first bowl on the table in front of Orochimaru. "Don't forget to blow on it, Orochimaru-sama," he told him as he rubbed his back soothingly.

"This looks delicious, Kabuto," Orochimaru informed him with a nod of approval. "Excellent work, as always."

Sasuke glared at the pair of them. If he was not going to call Kabuto out on interrupting him, what was the point of even asking his skill level?

"Needless to say," Sasuke asserted in annoyance, fixing his glower on Kabuto once more, "I still have much room for improvement, and I expect you to train me as quickly as possible."

Orochimaru released a throaty chuckle, lifting his hand and lowering the bandage from his mouth as he scooped up a spoonful of soup. "Patience, Sasuke-kun," he chided him. "When your injuries are healed, we will begin. If you overexert yourself, the training will prove fruitless."

"Orochimaru-sama is quite right," Kabuto nodded his head in agreement as he set the next bowl on the table in front of Sasuke. "I will give you more medicine tonight, which should significantly increase the healing rate."

After swallowing the bite in his mouth, Orochimaru let his snake-like tongue protrude from his mouth as he licked up the remaining broth from his spoon. Unable to resist the urge to wrinkle his nose in disgust, Sasuke suddenly felt any appetite immediately vanish.

"This soup is top notch, Kabuto," Orochimaru complimented him.

* * *

A subtle drip of water fell every few seconds from the ceiling in the far corner. To his left, there was a nightstand, atop which burnt a single candle, and to his right, a door which led into a simple bathroom. The bedroom was as vacant as the dining room had been, and just as cold as the medical room, and he had only one layer of blanket, which proved useless in blotting out the cold.

Pulling it closer around him nonetheless, Sasuke began to reflect on the events of this evening. He was still trying to piece together exactly what he thought of his new companions. All he had concluded, thus far, was that he held next to no respect for Kabuto, who, quite frankly, was a terrible cook, and an even worse strategist.

As for Orochimaru…the man was powerful, there was no denying that, but only now did he realize just how insane the man was.

In fact, they were both insane.

Turning over in his bed, Sasuke rested his face in his pillow and released a groan. What was he to make of them? And how was he to deal with them? Clearly, giving in to their every whim would be a very unwise move. In fact, he might even end up more bandaged than Orochimaru had been if he followed them without question. But blatantly disobeying might cause him even more trouble. After all, crazy though they were, they were both quite powerful ninja—significantly more powerful than him.

Furrowing his brow in concentration, however, he lifted his head from his pillow as realization struck him. How he had dealt with them all day had proven very effective. In fact, he could probably be even shorter with them, if he wanted to be. He did not have to listen to them, he did not have to wait for orders—and, even when given orders, he did not have to obey. He might even be able to be the one giving Kabuto orders. And, since he held no respect for Kabuto except as a medical ninja, he found himself feeling strangely superior.

He might even be able to make strongly weighted suggestions to Orochimaru, just as Kabuto had done. Which, considering his insanity, he might just go along with.

Rolling over and staring up at the stone ceiling, Sasuke consoled himself with the thought that he really had no reason to fret in their company. True, he could be understandably disturbed by the snake Sannin, but that did not mean he had to be afraid that Orochimaru would be handing him orders on a day-to-day basis, or would punish him for not falling prey to his every whim.

With a smirk, Sasuke allowed a particularly amusing train of thought to run through his mind.

"After all," he whispered to the surrounding darkness, "how can he punish_ the_ _chosen one_?"

Whatever the hell _that_ meant…


	3. A Journey with Madness

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter III

"A Journey with Madness"

…

"Of course, it's not the most furnished hideout, but, like I've said, we want one with a good training area. I still think you'll have to put off the training a few days, considering you'll need to rest your injuries once we get there, in which case…perhaps you can start training on Wednesday. That's a good day for training, don't you think?"

How in the hell was Wednesday a better day for training than any other day of the week?

Kabuto had decided to fill quite a bit of their walk with his own voice, and he was beginning to get a little repetitive. He had been discussing this new hideout for almost an hour, now, and he kept reminding Sasuke and Orochimaru that they would need to wait to begin training. Sasuke had stopped responding quite a while ago, but Orochimaru would chime in from time to time to point out how perceptive Kabuto was, or how impressed he was with his intellect.

"Wednesday is a good day to start," Orochimaru now mused with a nod of approval.

As the two continued this trivial conversation, the youngest member of their company began to shift his eyes around the vicinity. They were currently trudging through a long, seemingly endless, open field, a line of trees to their backs, and no end in sight on all other three sides. Judging by the position of the sun in the sky, Sasuke determined it was almost noon.

He let his hand fall to his side, and he spread his fingers to run them through the tall blades of grass as he walked past them, pressing his eyes shut and allowing his mind to wander from the scene in front of him. It wandered to a simpler time, away from the insanity. Away from all the contention, the remorse. The revenge…

…

_A particular scene unfolded. There was a family, a picnic blanket spread out in a small field, and the mother was slowly unpacking the contents of her basket. The father was sitting beside her, his arms crossed in front of him and a frown in place. Far to the right of them, two children played in the field. _

_The taller one had his hands pressed in front of his eyes, and the other scampered away from him, ducking beneath the blades of grass and all but vanishing from sight, due to his small size. After a moment, the older son began to make his way around the vicinity, his eyes keen for someone so young, but he could not seem to rest his gaze upon that which he sought. When he was about to give up, however, he caught the sound of laughter, and he headed immediately in its direction, where he dug through the grass to find his little brother smiling up at him._

"_Found you, Sasuke."_

…

"Sasuke-kun."

His black eyes flew open at the sound of that raspy voice, and he focused his gaze on the intent snake eyes staring back at him. He verbalized no response, but he arched a single eyebrow to indicate he had heard him.

"Kabuto believes we should stop for lunch," Orochimaru explained. "I believe this to be a wise recommendation."

"Fine," Sasuke returned dryly.

"We'll need to disguise ourselves," Kabuto pointed out as he untied his backpack and began shuffling through the contents. With a smile, he pulled out a long cloak and through it around himself, before securing the hood over his head. Turning to Sasuke, he handed one to him as well.

"_That's_ your idea of a disguise?" Sasuke deadpanned, unable to hold back the remark this time. "You look even more obvious that way."

"Oh," Kabuto waved his words away, "I wouldn't expect you to know anything about this. You're new at the art of stealth. But trust me, this has worked for us quite well in the past. Here." He waved the cloak in front of the Uchiha's face.

"Thanks, I'll take my chances," Sasuke shook his head as he shoved the cloak away from himself.

"If you insist," Kabuto shrugged his shoulders, before smiling up at his superior. "And, since no one knows your new face, you should be quite safe, Orochimaru-sama."

When they finally reached the end of the field, they jumped the fence that encased it and stepped onto the road. They continued down this path for some time, silence finally falling in the group, so that, when they passed a farmhouse, a heated argument between the farmer and his wife reached their ears.

"With my sister, no less, you dirty rotten scum-bag!"

"Woman, will you quit yer yelling, dang nabit! Yer scaring away all the goats!"

"I demand an explanation, otherwise I'm taking this to my second-cousin and having him bury yer lying hide!"

"Yer second-cousin couldn't scare an ant!"

"An ant would have the decency to be faithful to his wife!"

"Ants don't got wives, you numbskull!"

A vindictive smile had crossed Orochimaru's face, and Sasuke instinctively leaned away from him. However, the smile was plastered across Kabuto's face, as well.

"This is perfect!" Orochimaru exclaimed.

Within the blink of an eye, the Sannin was crouching on his belly and extending his neck through the air. He wrapped it around the farmer, to catch him in a firm hold, as Kabuto flickered to the porch and grabbed the woman.

Sasuke stared ahead in bewilderment, not quite sure what it was about the exchange that had prompted this sudden onslaught, but Kabuto had thrown the woman to the ground and was now kicking her repeatedly. His pleasant smile had returned, and Orochimaru turned his attention to watch in amusement. When he had nearly choked all of the oxygen out of the man with his neck, the Snake Master released him and let him fall to a mangled heap on the porch. Kabuto crossed the yard and began kicking him as well.

"What…in the hell?" Sasuke blinked twice.

What was the point of this? Was there something they wanted from these two people? Unlikely. It seemed as if they had attacked on a whim, more than anything else. What, then? Were they just sadists?

Whatever the reason, Sasuke tucked his hands in his pockets and walked past the scene with a slight shake of his head. It made no sense, and he did not have the patience to try to figure it out. He decided he was rather hungry after all, and therefore he continued in the direction of the small village, which was now clearly in view. Kabuto and Orochimaru could meet up with him later, whenever they were done sating whatever inane desires had spurred their attack.

It was a quaint village, open to travelers, and a few shops spotted the landscape. Shopping having never interested him, however, Sasuke simply turned his attention on the dining areas, perusing the labels with his eyes. When his gaze fell upon a ramen establishment, the thought of Naruto soared to the front of his mind.

…

_Kakashi-sensei was holding that ridiculous book open, the one he enjoyed so immensely he occasionally even read during battles. Having only seen the title once, Sasuke recalled it had "Make-Out" in the title, but that was all. Naruto was trying to read the book again, but Kakashi successfully distracted him by ordering him a bowl of ramen._

"_Itadakimasu!"_

_Sakura laughed at their sensei, complimenting him on employing Naruto's weakness, before breaking her chopsticks apart and beginning her own meal. It was not long, however, before she was yelling at Naruto for being a pig, as he was already demanding seconds._

_When Kakashi refused to pay for a second bowl of ramen for the boy, Naruto again tried to read the Jounin's book, and the man hurriedly ordered more ramen._

_Sasuke had smirked at this, remarking that Naruto had now employed Kakashi's weakness, and Sakura offered a ladylike laugh in response._

…

Sasuke vigorously shook the thought from his head and immediately continued his search. But it was proving difficult to find an eating establishment that did not rouse some memory. The barbeque reminded him of Chouji and Shikamaru, both people who had been amongst the group who had been sent to bring him back to Konoha. The dumplings reminded him of Kakashi. The tea shop…

The tea shop.

He frowned, burying his hands deeper in his pockets as he walked past the place, the aroma of jasmine invading his senses. He pressed his eyes shut.

"Sasuke-kun."

"Gah!" Sasuke involuntarily jumped, his eyes flying open as he spun around to find Orochimaru standing directly behind him. "Stop doing that!"

"You are quite safe, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru smiled down at him. "You made the right decision, after all."

Sasuke simply shook his head, ignoring what the man had to say and searching the premises with his eyes. "Where's Kabuto?"

That same, throaty laugh sounded again, and Orochimaru replied softly, "Gathering." Turning his back to Sasuke, he instructed, "Now then, come."

"Are we not eating anymore?" Sasuke asked in a disinterested tone, though he could feel his stomach grumbling in protest.

"Oh, we're eating," Orochimaru's unnaturally long tongue protruded from his mouth and he licked his lips. "What is it you prey on, Sasuke-kun?"

Prey on? Sasuke narrowed his eyes into a glare, the image of his brother flashing through his mind, and he shot back, "I don't eat my prey, if that's what you're asking."

Orochimaru chuckled, taking a turn and leading the boy into a simple diner. However, he gave Sasuke no further response and simply took his seat at a booth, and the Uchiha assumed the seat across from him. The place was rather populated, and the noise of multiple conversations and the clatter of silverware swelled around them.

Sasuke folded his hands atop the table, scanning the area briefly, before glancing back at Orochimaru, but he soon regretted it. What was with that creepy stare? Keeping his expression blank, however, Sasuke grabbed a menu and unfolded it, before setting it on the table between him and Orochimaru. He pretended to consider the choices, but, in truth, he already knew what he wanted, and he really was only interested in finding some way to avoid that man's stare.

What did it mean, that Kabuto was _gathering_? Gathering what? The boy's mind wandered to the couple they had attacked, and he wondered if, perhaps, they did have information to be gathered.

"When your training commences," Orochimaru began, and Sasuke's head immediately shot up from the menu. Orochimaru smiled, before continuing, "When we begin your training, the first thing you will learn is to call upon snakes."

"Call upon snakes," Sasuke's brow rose a fraction, and his mind flickered to the memory of the enormous frog Naruto had summoned during his fight with Gaara. He clenched his hand into a fist. Excellent. Finally, he would be able to have the same quality of training that Jiraiya had given Naruto.

"And after that?" he demanded.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru shook his head with a slight tsk. "Patience."

"I don't have time for patience," Sasuke snapped.

A chuckle escaped Orochimaru's mouth, just as a waitress stepped forward and smiled at the pair of them.

"Good afternoon," she greeted with a slight bow of her head. "What can I get for you today?"

"Lamb soup," Orochimaru's eyes widened as he said it. "And roast chicken. Sake…I always want sake."

"Yes, sir," she nodded, before turning to Sasuke. "And for you?"

"The bonito rice balls," Sasuke replied, folding his menu and sliding it across the table for the waitress to pick up. "And," he hesitated a moment, but the tea shop had left him feeling nostalgic, "jasmine tea."

"Jasmine tea…," Orochimaru mused, and Sasuke could feel the man's gaze on him once more. He opted to ignore it, however.

"Alright, I'll bring out your tea and sake in just a few minutes," the woman flashed a smile, before disappearing in the crowd of the restaurant.

After a brief silence ensued between them, Sasuke narrowed his eyes into a glare, but he did not lift his gaze from the table. "What of it?" he asked dryly.

"As I recall, jasmine tea was a particular favorite," the Sannin said slowly, deliberately, and he paused for dramatic effect, "…of Uchiha Itachi."

Sasuke shot his glare to Orochimaru, but he made no response. Rather, he took a moment to compose himself, adopted a bored demeanor, and then swept his stare around the diner. It was at this moment that he noticed an out-of-place figure in the doorway, and he furrowed his brow. He was wearing a long cape, with a hood covering most of his face. His head darted back and forth, as if he was making sure no one was following him.

What a suspicious character…

In that instant, however, he realized it was Kabuto. He released a frustrated sigh, his eyes narrowing in annoyance as the man made his way across the restaurant and then took the seat beside Orochimaru.

"Will you please take that cape off?" Sasuke drawled. "You look ridiculous."

"If you don't want to rouse suspicion, trust my judgment," Kabuto told him with a firm nod, and he lifted a hand to readjust his glasses.

The boy shook his head at the older Genin, deciding that nothing he could say would dissuade Kabuto from his foolish antics. Therefore, he simply probed the question, "Where were you?"

"Oh, I needed a few extra corpses," Kabuto's expression adopted that pleasant smile once more. "You see, that man and woman were the perfect height, and I was missing them in my summoning scroll."

"Corpses?" Sasuke kept a mildly annoyed expression, but he began to feel a little disturbed.

"Oh, yes," Kabuto nodded as he leaned over Orochimaru's shoulder to read the menu that the Sannin had refrained from passing to their waitress. "What did you order, Orochimaru-sama?"

As they discussed the meal options, Sasuke wondered what they had needed the corpses for. And, if that was all they needed, why Kabuto had been kicking them earlier.

'Oh, why am I even bothering?' Sasuke thought, internally rolling his eyes. 'I've already established they're both insane.'

* * *

The sun was low in the sky as the group made their way down the road, their shadows stretched far in front of them on the ground. A pleasant silence had fallen after they had eaten, one which had not been disturbed for some time, and Sasuke found himself feeling oddly content. Well, perhaps not content, in the fullness of the word, but at least experiencing a brief moment of peace amidst all of the chaos of the past few days.

But, it was quickly shattered when Kabuto halted suddenly in his steps, staring down at the ground with a blank expression and then at his empty hands, before stating, "I left my wallet at the diner."

Sasuke felt his eye twitch. Kabuto was not only insane, but an idiot!

* * *

By the time they had once again reached the same spot on the road, after having returned to the diner, searched the vicinity for some time and finally retrieved the idiot's wallet, the sun was now descending below the tree line behind them, and streaks of orange and pink colored the sky.

This was ridiculous. At this rate, it would take even longer to reach the hideout, and, despite his frequent claims he wanted to begin training immediately and was in perfect health, Sasuke could feel the strain of his injuries beginning to take their toll once more. However, he was hesitant to request any healing techniques from Kabuto, as the man would undoubtedly reiterate his concern for their health and urge Orochimaru to wait several weeks before training. Which, quite frankly, was unacceptable.

Therefore, as inconspicuously as he could manage, Sasuke slid his right hand over his left arm to ease the pressure he felt building up once more. The cursed seal was acting up again, and it was making his injured arm ache. As he took note of this, however, a new train of thought crossed the Uchiha's mind.

'Why isn't learning to control the Seal my first stage of training?' he wondered, and his black eyes fell upon Orochimaru, who was walking leisurely beside him with a contented smile in place.

Had the man not even considered it? It was highly probable.

"Orochimaru," Sasuke addressed him, and when the Sannin rested his snake eyes on him, the boy wondered if perhaps it was a mistake to break the welcomed silence. No matter, it was too late now. "When are you going to train me to use this?" and, as he asked, Sasuke gestured to the mark on his neck. "Shouldn't that be the first thing I learn? It will probably get in the way of any other training, considering the damage it does to my chakra."

"He makes a valid point, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto nodded in agreement. "Perhaps that _should_ be the first step."

"Yes, perhaps it should," Orochimaru mused. "Very well, Sasuke-kun. That will be the first thing I teach you."

So, he really had _not_ considered it. Ridiculous. Sasuke held back the scoff he was tempted to release for the man overlooking such an obvious detail, and he instead returned his eyes to take in what remained of the sunset in the ever darkening sky.

* * *

Well, he could not say it was altogether unexpected, considering the progress they had been making all day, what with Kabuto and Orochimaru's random detours. Especially Kabuto. But it was still frustrating. When they reached the next village, they had decided to stop at an inn for the night. At Sasuke's request, they had paid for two rooms—the shinobi not the least bit inclined to share a room with those two. Especially Orochimaru.

They currently sat together at a table in the inn's dining area, where the Legendary Sannin was wrapping his tongue around his plate to ensure he had licked up every last scrap of eggs. Kabuto was wearing his smile as he scrawled on a piece of paper. He seemed to be taking notes of something. Sasuke sat across from them, long since abandoning his meal, one elbow resting on the table and his chin propped in the palm of his hand. He gazed at Orochimaru and Kabuto with a bored expression in place.

He was not entirely sure why, but he was beginning to feel oddly superior to both of them. Perhaps it was the simple fact that he had managed to retain his sanity, and they were clearly bat-shit crazy. But it seemed like there was more to it than that, as if, in some way, he had more sense than either of them, and that, maybe, just maybe, he was smarter.

He knew he was smarter than Kabuto. That was a no-brainer.

But he was still speculating how he felt about Orochimaru. The man seemed as though he had throngs of knowledge, but knowledge did not necessarily make one smart. For instance, Sakura was perfectly knowledgeable, admittedly more than he was, but she was not smarter than him. Not that she was an idiot, the girl was still very intelligent, but he had never once questioned his superior intelligence.

Perhaps it was a matter of wisdom, then.

That would make sense. Orochimaru did not seem particularly wise. Then again, Sasuke was not entirely certain if he would classify himself as wise, either, so that argument might not be enough to explain it. He was not sure what to think of many things, anymore, and he suspected it had something to do with spending time with these two. They really were confusing him.

"Well, it's getting late," Kabuto announced. Folding his scroll and securely fastening the tie around it, Kabuto then stowed it and his pencil away in his backpack once more. "You both need your rest. We should arrive on location by noon tomorrow, if all goes as planned."

"Excellent," Orochimaru grinned, and his sharp teeth protruded from his mouth, at which Sasuke found himself making a vaguely disgusted face. "You always have the most astonishing plans, Kabuto."

Did he? Did he, really? If that was good planning, Heaven forbid the plans ever be left to Orochimaru.

"Here," Kabuto offered his hand to help the Sannin to his feet, and the man accepted it. "Let's get you to your room, and then I'll apply another healing technique," he told Orochimaru, before glancing down at Sasuke with a smile. "I'll do the same for you, too. I'm sure your wounds could use it."

"I'm fine," Sasuke shot back in his usual dry tone, but even as he said it, his legs screamed in protest as he put pressure on them to stand, and his back sent stabbing pains through him as he straightened his stance.

"Well, I'll give it to you, anyway," Kabuto stated, using his free hand to fix his glasses. "I'm the medic, after all, and it's what I say is for the best."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at Kabuto, but he did not argue. He proceeded to simply walk past the pair of them and then make his way out of the open room to the single staircase in the adjacent hall. He slowly ascended it to the second floor, walked past the many doors that lined the walls, before coming to a stop outside his own door. Taking the key from his pocket, he unlocked the room and pushed the door open.

It was a quaint room, with a single nightstand, a closet, and a large sliding glass door that led out onto a small balcony overlooking the insignificant little village. The bed had several layers of blankets and four pillows. In all, it was actually more furnished than his room at the hideout had been.

What did Orochimaru and Kabuto have against comfort, anyway?

Shaking his head of the thought, however, Sasuke crossed the room and set his backpack on the floor in front of the nightstand. Though he knew it was probably a necessary stage in the healing process, he did not want to wait for Kabuto. Healing techniques always took such a long time to perform, they were such laborious tasks, and Sasuke could already feel his eyes drooping.

He soon disregarded any counsel to wait for Kabuto, and he instead pulled the curtains shut to block out the city lights, locked the bedroom door and then flicked the light off. He crossed the room in darkness, feeling his way to his bed, where he snuggled comfortably beneath the blankets and let his head fall against the pillows.

No, that was too much. His neck felt strained. Sasuke tiredly pushed three of the pillows aside, not paying much heed where they landed, before resting his head against the single pillow that remained and nodding in approval. That felt much better. He allowed his heavy eyelids to fall closed, alleviating the strain he had been placing on his stinging eyes.

Within seconds, it seemed, he drifted off into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Orochimaru-sama, I believe it will save time if we head east."

"Dear Kabuto. You are as sharp as always."

Sasuke held back the sigh, not sure which would be smarter—to follow Orochimaru's random sense of direction, or another of Kabuto's marvelous plans. Not that it mattered which was smarter. Orochimaru had already opted to take Kabuto up on his suggestion, yet again, and they therefore began heading east.

When Kabuto had attempted to give Sasuke his healing the night before, he had found his path blocked by the locked door, and he therefore decided to wait until the next morning. However, the Uchiha had slept in longer than Kabuto would have liked, and Sasuke had therefore been awoken to the sound of banging against his door. That had gone over very poorly. It was no secret that Sasuke was a grouchy riser, he hated it when anyone woke him up, and he had snapped at Kabuto for it and unlocked the door just for the satisfaction of slamming it in the man's face.

Of course, after a half hour or so, Sasuke had let Kabuto in and received the healing technique, simply because he knew it was necessary, and because sleep had eluded him in that timeframe. Within the hour, they had headed out once more, and Sasuke had soon come to discover that Orochimaru had gone shopping in the town, insisting that Sasuke's wardrobe needed to be updated.

He had not changed his attire quite yet, however. Orochimaru had bought fabric, and explained that Kabuto was excellent at sewing, and he would therefore be the one to make Sasuke's clothes. Well, that was hardly comforting. If Kabuto's sewing was anything like his cooking, strategizing and planning, the young Uchiha found himself dreading whatever the Genin would end up putting together.

Presently, they were walking through a deep forest, which was apparently where this hideout was located, and Sasuke vaguely remembered something Kabuto had mentioned on his first day with them. Something about preferring forests. With a slight roll of his eyes, the shinobi internally mused how it was no surprise they were headed to this particular hideout, since it had been of Kabuto's choosing. Honestly, how predictable.

"Ahhh!"

Orochimaru came to a halt so abruptly that Sasuke nearly ran into him, but, thankfully, he stopped himself just in time.

"I do believe you were right again, Kabuto," the Snake Master complimented, the toothy grin returning to his countenance.

Right? About what?

"Come, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru instructed, before walking around a wide tree. As Sasuke hurried around it, he just caught sight of the man disappearing into the ground, and he furrowed his brown in perplexity. However, after a moment of perusing the area with his eyes, he noticed a circular metal platform, and an open whole in the center.

"If you please, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto gestured to the black pit, and the young Uchiha held back a sigh.

Stepping forward and deciding not to question this method, Sasuke let one foot hover over the darkness for a brief moment, before jumping down. He fell for only a moment, before meeting an unexpected landing on what felt like earth, and he stumbled against the nearby wall. As his eyes focused, his took in the vicinity.

As it turned out, the ground _was_ earth. It seemed to be constructed from some type of rock, and the wall was the same. Along the wall and the ceiling ran wooden beams, which, no doubt held the place intact, and along the beams, there were artificial lights set some distance apart, leaving a dim illumination.

The longer he stared at the area surrounding him, the more and more it began to remind him of a bunker.

He heard a loud thud behind him, and he guessed it was Kabuto. The Genin walked forward to stand beside Sasuke, and, with a smile, he instructed, "Come with me, I'll show you to your room."

The boy made no complaint and fell into step behind Kabuto, again allowing his eyes to wander around the area and committing this new hideout to memory. As he began this process, however, he remembered an earlier thought and quickly asked Kabuto, "Do you have a map of all the hideouts?"

Orochimaru's throaty laugh directly behind him made Sasuke internally flinch, and when Kabuto glanced back at him with that pleasant smile—which was really starting to get on his nerves—the shinobi narrowed his eyes into a glare, wanting to know what they found so entertaining.

"Kabuto, he wants to know if we have a map," Orochimaru remarked, amusement lining his voice.

"Sasuke-kun, if we had a physical map, it could be stolen and used by an enemy," Kabuto informed him in a patronizing tone. Lifting a hand to push his glasses up the brim of his nose, the older ninja stated, "It is much smarter to embed a map in one's memory. That way, it can never be stolen. We have never once made a map."

"But, then," Sasuke furrowed his brow a fraction in his confusion, "how did you make plans for the structure of the hideouts?"

"Oh, we made it up as we went along," Kabuto stated matter-of-factly.

Made it…up?

Sasuke let his eyes wander around the structure once more, and he felt a sudden fear engulf him, that the entire place would collapse upon itself at any given moment. Glancing back at the two men before him to take in Kabuto's pleasant smile and Orochimaru's unnerving grin, he felt his eye twitch, just as it had the day before.

They were idiots!


	4. Shadows of Recollection

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter IV

"Shadows of Recollection"

…

Tuesday night.

He scoffed at the very thought. In the end, Kabuto had gotten his way after all. The training was to begin the following day. Wednesday. Both he and Orochimaru were now in prime condition, though the latter still wore multiple bandages. At least, he had been the last time Sasuke had seen him. As it was, he had not seen the older ninja all day. Or Kabuto, for that matter. Kabuto had apparently been visiting a jailer at one of the other hideouts, and, as for the Sannin, Sasuke had simply managed to avoid him.

All in all, it had been a relatively peaceful day. The pain from his injuries had finally dissipated, he had not been bothered by a certain duo's lunacy, he was quite confident he had the entire _bunker _memorized by now, and he had even managed to sleep in this morning.

And now, finally, in a simple matter of hours, he would begin training under one of the most powerful ninja in history.

Currently, the young shinobi was lying awake in bed, several blankets—which he had collected earlier in the week from other rooms in the hideout—covering him to his chest, his arms spread out on either side of him as he stared up at the ceiling. On the bedside table, a single candle was lit, offering a subtle illumination to the room, and casting long shadows on the walls as it flickered.

Sasuke's dark eyes fell from the ceiling, instead focusing on the wall opposite the candle, on which was cast the most intricate shadows. Shadows that seemed to take on a life of their own. As the boy stared at them, he felt his mind begin to wander, to places he had obstinately forced from recollection. After all, it did not do to reflect on them.

But, as those shadows danced before his eyes, he could not seem to help himself…

…

"_What is it? I can't tell."_

"_Look closer, Sasuke."_

_There was a slight pause, after which the child urged, "Please, tell me! I can't tell."_

"_Alright," the older boy laughed. "It's a rabbit. See its ears?"_

"_Ohh! Nii-san, you're right!"_

_Two children lie awake in bed, a lamp set on the bedside table behind them. They were both facing the opposite wall, and the older of the two—who was eleven years in age—held his hands up, casting elongated shadows to which he and his six-year-old brother were giving names._

"_Can I try?" the younger boy asked, his black eyes wide in excitement._

"_Of course," his brother smiled and lowered his hands. "You have to hold your hands up high so they can catch the light."_

"_Alright," Sasuke nodded his head, a look of determination now overtaking his countenance as he lifted his small hands in front of the lamp, and he smiled when their shadow hit the wall. "Nii-san, how did you make the rabbit?"_

_His older brother curled his hands and extended his index finger and middle finger into the air, to demonstrate the proper position. "But you have to turn it at an angle, otherwise it will look like it only has one ear."_

_The younger Uchiha narrowed his eyes in concentration as he attempted to emulate his brother's hands._

"_There you go," Itachi nodded in approval._

_Sasuke beamed, but, as he glanced up at the wall, he realized there was something wrong with his shadow. He frowned at the realization, checking his brother's hands against his, but it did not change the result._

"_What is it, Sasuke?"_

"_My rabbit doesn't look like yours," the boy answered dejectedly._

"_That's because it's _your _rabbit," Itachi pointed out. "Not mine."_

"_But I want it to look like yours," Sasuke shook his head. "How do I make it look like yours?"_

_His older brother offered him a gentle smile, before resting his own black eyes on the wall and lifting his hands to catch the light as well. He made his rabbit hop along the imaginary horizon until it came to a stop beside his brother's rabbit, whose short ears drooped in misery._

"_If your rabbit was just like mine, it wouldn't be unique," Itachi stated, tapping his index finger against his brother's hands, and the little rabbit's ears shot up in surprise. "My rabbit would be sad because it wouldn't have someone different to talk to. Your rabbit would be a clone of mine, and they would both be lonely."_

"_So," the little boy titled his head to one side in thought, "because they're different, they can have more fun together?"_

"_Yes," his older brother nodded his head. "They're similar, you see. Look: they both have ears, they're both round. They're both still rabbits. But they're also different."_

"_So, they're similar, but different," Sasuke reasoned, the excited smile returning to his face. "And it's good that they're different."_

"_Yes," Itachi nodded again, allowing his rabbit to hop along until his hands fell out of the light. "It's good that they're different."_

_They both stared in silence at Sasuke's shadow rabbit, which had fallen still since the departure of Itachi's, but the young boy soon made his shadow hop out of sight as well. "Make something else, Nii-san!"_

_His brother adopted a pensive expression a moment, before allowing a faint smile as he lifted his hands once more. The six-year-old scrutinized this new form closely, taking care to look at it from various angles. After a moment, he clapped his hands together in excitement._

"_It's a bird!"_

"_Correct," Itachi replied. "Can you guess what kind of bird?"_

"_Nii-san, that's easy," Sasuke glanced up at his brother with a knowing smile. "It's a crow."_

_Itachi released a slight laugh, "I suppose I made it too obvious."_

"_You always make it a crow," Sasuke stated matter-of-factly._

…

_A child shot up to a sitting position in bed, his eyes wide as he glanced out the window to check the time of day. It was still early morning, about an hour before dawn, and a pale blue overcast shrouded the world. He threw his blanket off and scampered out of bed, before hurrying out of his room. However, as he made his way across the porch, he slowed his pace, knowing his parents did not like to be disturbed, and the boy therefore tiptoed until he was safely in the confines of the main area of the house._

_After sliding the door shut behind him, the child quickened his pace, running through the house until he came to a stop in the kitchen doorway. There, he found his older brother, one elbow propped on the table and the side of his face resting in his palm, as his dark eyes stared distantly into the contents of his mug._

_At first, the young boy made no motion, not wishing to disturb him. However, his brother soon noticed his presence, and his black irises came to rest on him as a small smile found its way to the corner of his mouth._

"_Good morning, Sasuke."_

"'_Morning, Nii-san," Sasuke smiled in turn, crossing the room and taking a seat at the table across from his brother._

"_You're up early," Itachi noted._

_Sasuke leaned forward and folded his arms in front of him on the table, staring up at Itachi with curious eyes. He hesitated a moment, before probing the question, "Nii-san…how old were you when you developed the Sharingan?"_

_His older brother shook his head with a slight laugh, lifting his mug and taking a long, slow sip. After resting the cup back on the table, he replied, "I was eight. But, did you wake up early just to ask me that?"_

"_Well…I also wanted to spend time with you," Sasuke admitted, his dark eyes falling back to the table and his lower lip jutting out in a slight pout. "We never get to spend as much time together anymore, since you're always going on missions. I thought, if I started waking up early, I could be up with you before you leave, and then I can go back to bed afterwards."_

_Itachi's eyes widened a fraction, but his small smile soon returned and he nodded his head. "I think that sounds like a good idea."_

_Sasuke's pout transformed into a grin, and he rested his head in arms as he stared up at his older brother hopefully. "So, it's alright if I do this every morning?"_

_Holding up his forefinger, Itachi corrected, "Every morning until you start at the Academy. You'll need your sleep, then."_

"_Okay," Sasuke nodded in agreement._

_The two brothers then sat in silence, the younger merely staring up at Itachi, and the older closing his eyes as he sipped at the steaming liquid._

_After a time, Sasuke lifted his head and asked, "Nii-san?"_

"_What?" Itachi opened his eyes to focus them on his little brother._

"_What are you drinking?" Sasuke pointed at the cup as he asked._

"_This? Tea," Itachi answered with a slight shrug. "It helps keep me awake."_

"_What kind?" the little boy's eyes widened in his curiosity._

"_Jasmine," Itachi replied with a subtle smile. "I don't think you'd like it, though. It's rather sweet."_

"_Oh," Sasuke wrinkled his nose at the thought, but his eyes fixed on the hot liquid nevertheless. "Well…is it good?"_

"_I think it is," his older brother said simply._

_The younger boy considered it a moment, before lifting his black eyes to his older brother. "Can I try it?"_

_Itachi shrugged his shoulders, before passing the mug across the table to Sasuke. "Don't blame me if you don't like it," he warned him._

_Sasuke reached forward and wrapped both hands around the cup, holding it firmly in the clutch of his small fingers. He gazed into the clear, emerald surface, allowing the sweet fragrance to invade his senses, as he paused in contemplation. When he realized he rather liked the scent of this drink, he mustered a look of determination and then lifted the mug to his lips. As the liquid flowed through his mouth, he raised his brow in surprise at first, before allowing a smile to cross his features._

_The boy lowered the cup and looked up at his brother in excitement. "I like it!" he announced._

"_You do?" Itachi arched a curious brow at this. "I'm surprised. You usually hate anything sweet."_

_Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. This just tastes good. Can I have another sip?"_

"_Wait," Itachi held up his index finger as he rose to his feet. He crossed the kitchen to the counter, where a teapot was steeping, and he grabbed a mug from the cabinet. After a moment, he returned to the table and handed the cup of tea to his younger brother. "Be careful, it's hot."_

"_Thank you, Nii-san!" Sasuke smiled in gratitude as he accepted the mug, and he blew on the hot liquid before taking a careful sip._

_Itachi waved it away as he returned to the seat across from Sasuke and lifted his own cup in his hand. As his little brother continued sipping at his tea, Itachi's dark eyes wandered back to the surface of the liquid, and his countenance grew distant once more._

_Noticing his brother's change in demeanor, Sasuke lowered his tea and tilted his head to one side in curiosity. "Nii-san? What is it?"_

_Itachi glanced up from his reflection and focused on Sasuke once more. Managing a smile, he assured him, "Nothing. Just a little tired."_

"_Maybe you should go to sleep earlier?" Sasuke suggested, furrowing his brow in worry._

"_Probably," Itachi nodded in agreement._

_Sasuke frowned, glancing back down at his tea as he mumbled, "You should. Tou-san said what you do is important. You need your sleep."_

_Itachi's smile turned sincere. Lifting his forefinger and middle finger and extending his hand across the table, he poked his little brother on the forehead, and the crease in the boy's brow vanished. "Forgive me, Sasuke. Next time, okay?"_

_Sasuke's momentarily surprised expression turned doubtful, and he asked, "Promise?"_

"_Promise," Itachi replied._

…

_It was a sunny, Spring afternoon, and a gentle breeze whistled through the air, kicking up leaves and sweeping them past. A woman sat on the back porch, a content smile in place as her skilled hands worked the needle, moving expertly through the fabric. She was humming quietly to herself. To her right, two boys were sprawled out across the porch, their eyes closed and their breathing slow. Overhead, one particular tree that grew beside the porch was losing a few pink blossoms to the wind, which swept them from the branches and to the porch._

_When a petal fell upon the nose of the youngest boy—who was barely four years in age—he wrinkled his nose in discomfort and then slowly opened his eyes, to determine the source of his disturbance. Lifting his hand, he brushed the petal away and then let his eyes wander around the porch in perplexity a moment. However, recognition gradually seeped in, and a smile found its way to his features when he remembered where he was._

_He looked over his shoulder and exchanged a smile with his mother, before glancing down at his older brother, who had not been stirred by the shower of petals. Rather, he continued in his slumber, his usual stressed expression now taking on a look of one at peace. Sasuke beamed, glad to see his older brother free of the constant strain, and he sat up on the porch and let his feet dangle over the edge._

_As the sakura blossoms continued their shower, Sasuke lifted his hand and brushed a few out of his hair. However, as he did so, an idea came to him, and he glanced over at Itachi with a mischievous smile. Gathering a few petals in his hands, he then laid them carefully in his older brother's long hair, and he had to fight the laugh, which would surely give him away if it woke his brother._

_Glancing over at Mikoto, Sasuke held a finger to his mouth, indicating she should keep silent on the matter, and his mother nodded in agreement. She looked equally as amused, and her youngest son understood what this meant: this would be their little secret._

_When Itachi finally awoke, his dark eyes stared up at the tree for several moments, and he said nothing. However, when he lifted his hand to run it through his hair, cherry blossoms were caught in his fingers, and he stared at them in confusion. Unable to contain his amusement, Sasuke pointed at his older brother and laughed._

"_Aren't you pretty, Nii-san?" he joked._

"_He's right, you look very attractive, Itachi," Mikoto joined in Sasuke's laughter, and Itachi simply shook his head. Though, the faint smile at the corner of his mouth was a clear indication that he found the situation comical, as well._

_What Sasuke did not fail to overlook, however, was the look of confusion in Itachi's eyes when he realized his little brother's hair was completely free of the petals. When the boy saw that, he knew he had managed to fool his brother, and he decided he would try it again the next time they took a nap on the porch._

…

"_Why does auntie have to come over tonight?"_

"_She's family, Sasuke," his mother tsked him as she ran a brush through his hair. "I want you to be on your best behavior."_

"_But, Kaa-san…you don't like her, either," the boy grumbled in complaint._

_Mikoto released a slight exhale, before shaking her head at her son. "I like your aunt perfectly fine," she corrected him. "After all, she's family. We respect and love family, no matter who they are."_

"_She doesn't respect me," Sasuke pointed out with a frown. "Why should I respect her?"_

"_Because she's your elder, and because you shouldn't lower yourself to other peoples' standards," his mother informed him. She brushed his hair in silence a moment, before exclaiming, "Goodness, Sasuke! I don't know _what_ to do about your hair! No matter what I do, it just sticks out!"_

_Sasuke glanced in the mirror and smiled. "I like it. I don't ever have to do anything with it."_

"_I suppose there really is no point in trying," Mikoto finally gave in, setting the hairbrush down on the dresser and then inspecting her son's appearance. "Well, this will have to do," she laughed, running a hand through the boy's hair and then patting him on the back. "Run along, then."_

"_Okay," Sasuke nodded, before turning and scampering out of the room. He made his way to the living room, where his father, his brother, and Shisui were already waiting. From what he could tell, they had been having some sort of heated discussion, and, with his appearance, it had ended abruptly. They always seemed to do that._

_Itachi smiled and waved him over._

_The boy hurried to take a seat on the couch beside his older brother, before glancing over and greeting, "Hello, Shisui-san."_

"_Hey, Sasuke," the older boy shot him a grin. "You've gotten bigger since the last time I saw you."_

"_Since last week?" Itachi shook his head as he glanced over at his friend in amusement._

"_He's always growing," Shisui stated, nodding his head vigorously as if to emphasize his point. "I'm just more observant than you."_

_Itachi smirked, "Of that, I highly doubt."_

"_He's right!" Sasuke insisted. "No one's more observant than Nii-san!"_

"_My son is a true prodigy, indeed," their father said from across the room, and they all glanced over at the man, mildly surprised that he had actually decided to join the lighthearted conversation. He was not wearing a smile, though. It was obvious he was taking this discussion very seriously._

_In attempt to keep the carefree mood, however, Shisui raised his hands in defense and said, "Fine, fine. Clearly, I'm outnumbered."_

"_Clearly, I'm right again," Itachi pointed out, his smirk returning._

_Shisui rolled his eyes, and Sasuke laughed at him for it. "You should have known better, Shisui-san," he declared. "Nii-san's always right."_

"_I suppose you have a point there," Shisui allowed with a light laugh. "So…," he glanced around the room, before lowering his voice so that Fugaku would be unable to hear him as he whispered, "any idea when the storm is supposed to roll through?"_

_Itachi heaved a sigh, and he shook his head at his friend. "Try not to cause a scene this time, alright?"_

"_Alright," Shisui gave in with another eye roll. "I'm just saying."_

"_I know, but it goes without saying," Itachi pointed out, a subtle smirk playing at the corner of his mouth._

_Shisui considered this, before laughing again. "Touché."_

_Sasuke glanced between the two, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he tried to decipher their words, and he whispered, "Are you talking about auntie?"_

_At this, Shisui laughed harder, and he reached over to ruffle Sasuke's hair as he remarked, "See? Even Sasuke gets it!"_

_Now it was Itachi's turn to roll his eyes._

_As usual, their aunt arrived late that evening. She immediately jumped into a lecture on Sasuke's hair, on Itachi's pants, on how the boys should help their mother around the house more often, on how they should choose more responsible friends than Shisui, on how Mikoto should show her children more discipline. Their aunt never seemed satisfied, no matter what state they were in, always able to find something to complain about. It was almost a talent, one at which she was quite gifted._

_The one person she never seemed to shoot complaints toward was her brother, Uchiha Fugaku. Of course, she usually lectured Itachi less than the others, but she still always managed to find _something _displeasing about him. Then again, Fugaku would usually correct her, as far as Itachi was concerned. And tonight was no exception._

"_Honestly, why have you joined ANBU when you should have joined the Police Squad?" their aunt was complaining to Itachi from across the dinner table._

"_ANBU is a very elite organization," Fugaku shook his head at the woman. "We are all very proud of Itachi, my son. It is an important position, one that will aid us in the future. Besides, you are forgetting that he is only 12. There is still much time for him to join the Squad."_

"_I suppose that's true," his sister nodded, before focusing her eyes on her oldest nephew. "Listen to me, young man. You join the police force just as soon as you can."_

_Itachi only offered a slight inclination of his head in response, his dark eyes fixed on the table and the distant expression he had begun to adopt in place once more._

_Shisui rolled his eyes at the whole conversation, lifting a hand in the air as he stated, "Well, frankly, Itachi's in a better position now than he would be in the Police Squad. I mean, what does that even have to offer him, other than another load of responsibility?"_

"_What else can be expected from a slacker like you?" Itachi's aunt rolled her eyes at Shisui._

"_I don't see how choosing ANBU makes me a slacker," Shisui shot back, arching a challenging brow at the woman. "Care you to explain that logic?"_

_Before Fugaku's sister could say another word, however, Mikoto interrupted them all with a pleasant smile, "Let's not talk about this over dinner, alright?"_

_Everyone consented, and a silence fell across the table. A pair of onyx eyes wandered around in confusion, taking in everyone's guarded expressions, before focusing on the only pleasant one he could find—that of his mother. She met his eyes and offered him a smile of reassurance, and Sasuke managed a small smile in response. However, as he glanced to his right and caught the distant look in his brother's eyes, the smile vanished._

_Later that evening, as the adults retreated to the living room, Itachi led his little brother across the porch to his bedroom. When he had shut the door, he then walked across the room to sit beside Sasuke in bed, and the younger Uchiha stared up at his older brother in curiosity._

"_Nii-san…," he began slowly, but he hesitated._

"_What is it?" Itachi asked._

_Sasuke glanced down at his hands, trying to put his thoughts in order, before musing quietly, "It's like this every time auntie comes. She always argues with everyone, especially Kaa-san and Shisui-san. Why do we have to have her over, if it just makes everyone angry?"_

"_Well, Sasuke…," Itachi lifted his eyes as he considered the matter silently. He did not respond for a moment, but then, a small smile made its way to the corner of his mouth. "It's just how she is. Sometimes, there are people close to you who you might not agree with and who frustrate you, but that does not change that they are close to you."_

"_So, it's like Kaa-san said," Sasuke frowned. "We have to love her because she's family."_

"_That's a good way of explaining it," Itachi conceded with a nod of his head. "And that's why, even though they argue with her, everyone still spends time with her."_

"_But, if she wasn't family, we wouldn't have to," the child pointed out, and Itachi managed a slight laugh at this._

"_No, I suppose we wouldn't," he agreed. "But, then…if everyone got along, it wouldn't be as amusing, would it?"_

"_Is that why you never argue with auntie?" Sasuke wondered. "Because you're able to laugh at her instead of getting angry?"_

"_I'm sure it helps," Itachi replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "I find it's the easiest way to deal with people like her, anyway."_

"_Hm…," Sasuke lied down and rested his head against his pillow as he reflected on his brother's words. "Nii-san?"_

"_Yes?" Itachi arched a curious brow._

"_Why does Shisui-san always get into so many arguments with Tou-san and auntie?" the boy asked._

_Itachi did not answer a moment. He merely rested his distant stare on the ground, and Sasuke could not help but wonder what exactly that look meant. Finally, Itachi explained, "It's just in his nature. When he doesn't agree, he argues. It's how he's always been."_

"_What don't they agree about?" Sasuke probed further, and Itachi glanced back up at his little brother with a smile._

"_Too many things to name," he stated with a slight wave of his hand._

"_Okay," Sasuke frowned, realizing he should stop asking questions, and he lifted his dark eyes to rest on the ceiling overhead. The brothers sat in silence for a while, a silence neither were inclined to interrupt. It was finally broken, however, when the younger of the two released a yawn, and Itachi's smile returned._

"_Go to sleep, Sasuke," he instructed._

"_How come everyone else gets to stay up, and I have to go to sleep?" Sasuke asked. Yet, even as he said it, his eyelids were beginning to droop, and he yawned once more. "It's not fair."_

"_When you're older, you can stay up as late you like," his brother assured him._

"_Why do I always have to wait until I'm older?" Sasuke mumbled, turning over in bed and nestling comfortably against his pillow. "I wish I was older, now."_

_Itachi stared down at him silently a moment, before telling his little brother, "Don't try to grow up too fast."_

"_I want to be as old as you, Nii-san," Sasuke nodded his head decisively, his eyes falling closed. "That way, we'll be the same age. Will we be the same age in 5 years?"_

"_No," Itachi shook his head with a gentle smile. "5 years from now, I'll be 5 years older, too."_

"_So…will I never be as old as you are?" Sasuke asked through another yawn._

"_No," Itachi replied. "But that's how big brothers are. They're supposed to be older."_

"_Okay," the young Uchiha mumbled into his pillow. "As long as that's how it's supposed to be."_

"_Goodnight, Sasuke."_

"_Goodnight, Nii-san."_

…

A pair of black eyes stared up at the ceiling, which was now completely indiscernible since the candle on the bedside table had burnt out. His brow was creased, and his right hand was clenched in a fist. The voices of his memories had faded, leaving in their absence nothing more than a lingering feeling. A painful longing. A sharp stab in his chest.

Sasuke turned over in the bed, much like he had in his most recent recollection and buried his face in his pillow. He pressed his eyes shut tightly and attempted to force all of these thoughts to the back of his mind. Yet, even as he did this, he felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he slammed his fist against the bed in attempt to block it out. To will it back. But he felt that all-too-familiar stinging at the corners of his eyes, and he angrily pressed them tighter.

This was why it did not do to reflect on these memories.

It made him weak. It made him the very wretched creature his brother wanted him to be. This was the unsightly manner in which Uchiha Itachi wanted him to live. This was why he had spared his life—to make him suffer. It was the very same as it had been that fateful night, when his older brother had captured him in the Mangekyou Sharingan and forced him to witness the death of every clansman. The deaths of his parents. Even miles away, and safely hidden where his brother could not reach him, Itachi continued to torment him.

He gritted his teeth and slammed his fist against the bed once more, refusing to let that stinging get the best of him. His entire body tensed as he fought that natural urge. Finally, when he was finally certain that it had subsided, he relaxed his stance and lifted his hand to grip the corner of his pillow. He lie awake in silence, surrounded by a darkness that seemed unending, alone with his memories. In spite of the sensation that had faded from his eyes, the pain in his chest only seemed to intensify, and he clenched his hand tighter once more.

"Damnit," Sasuke muttered into his pillow.

He was still weak. He still needed more power. He could never face Itachi like this, he needed to become stronger.

"Damnit…Nii-san."


	5. Impatience

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter V

"Impatience"

…

"No."

"…Oh. What's wrong with it?"

"What's _wrong_ with it?! What _isn't_ wrong with it?!"

Sasuke threw the atrocious piece of clothing back in Kabuto's face, and the man caught it in a start.

"I think it will fit you quite nicely, though," the older Genin insisted with a slight shake of his head. "You could at least try it on, Sasuke-kun."

"Absolutely not," Sasuke folded his arms in front of him.

Kabuto tsked him, inspecting the clothing with a proud smile. "At least tell me what it is you don't like."

Sasuke focused his onyx gaze on the imbecile, glancing at the clothes only briefly, before lifting his eyes to the ninja once more. "The shirt's too big, the pants look uncomfortable, you didn't even include the Uchiha crest anywhere, the coloring is questionable, and what the hell is with that ugly purple rope?"

"Oh, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto laughed in his usual condescending manner, and Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the very sound of it. "That's not a rope, it's a waist-bow."

"It's a rope," Sasuke deadpanned.

"Don't be absurd," the older shinobi waved his words away. "It's something every member of our troupe wears."

Sasuke arched a brow at this statement. "Is that a fact?" he asked in the same dry voice, growing very annoyed with Kabuto. "Then why aren't _you_ wearing one?"

"I am the medical ninja," Kabuto stated, an air of confidence in his voice as he pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose. "My uniform is supposed to be different, that way you can always find me. Of course, if you notice, I am wearing the necessary purple."

"Necessary?" Sasuke scowled up at him.

"Yes, it's our color, you see," the man explained. The tone he used, it was almost patronizing, and Sasuke was sick of listening to it.

"Whatever," the boy said as he rose to his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets. Walking past Kabuto and pulling his bedroom door open, he drawled, "I'm not wearing that."

"Well…we'll just have to discuss this with Orochimaru-sama, now, won't we?" Kabuto nodded decisively, clearly still very proud of his handiwork, and he folded it neatly, before following Sasuke. "He should be in the training room."

The Uchiha offered him no response, he merely continued in his pace. As it was, Kabuto had already told him that Orochimaru was waiting in the training room, and he was not sure why it had needed repeating. Perhaps the Genin was reminding himself? Now that he thought about it, this was not wholly unlikely. It would not be the first time Kabuto had proven himself a moron. And, somehow, Sasuke was absolutely certain it would not be the last.

Going tattling to Orochimaru over a stupid outfit. Honestly!

When they reached the designated door, Sasuke gripped the two handles and spread the door open, before stepping inside and promptly slamming it shut behind him in Kabuto's face. The startled look he received was rewarding, as he had anticipated, and he could not help the smirk that formed.

"Sasuke-kun."

What was it about that voice that sent chills down his spine? It was not even necessarily in a way that instilled fear, it was just…creepy. Unnerving. Sasuke shook his head of the feeling, as he brought his gaze to rest on the Sannin, who was standing at the far side of the large, open training room. However, his appearance was different today than it had been over the past two weeks: the bandages were no longer present, and, in place of the white spiked hair, Orochimaru's natural, long black hair had returned.

Was it really necessary to change one's appearance that often?

No matter. The young Uchiha crossed the room, his black eyes fixed determinedly on the Snake Master, and he instructed shortly, "Teach me how to control this thing."

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru chided him as a grin formed, "nothing I teach you will be immediate. It will require patience, time."

"Whatever, just start," Sasuke shot back.

"Sasuke-kun!" Kabuto stepped forward quickly, and he automatically placed him to the right-hand side of his master. "You really should be more appreciative of what Orochimaru-sama has to say. In the long run, it could be a matter of life and death."

"Kabuto," Orochimaru shook his head at him, but with the same grin, "he's eager to learn. Don't hinder the child's excitement."

"Ahh! Of course, Orochimaru-sama," the Genin said, his eyes widening as if he had reached some grand enlightenment. Doubtful. "Oh, I almost forgot," Kabuto continued, holding up the folded clothes in his arms for Orochimaru to see. "Sasuke-kun wasn't pleased with his new outfit."

"That is a pity," the Sannin noted, inspecting the attire with his eyes, before glancing back up at Kabuto. "Why not?"

"Well, let's see…," Kabuto fixed his glasses once more, before glancing over at the young Uchiha with a curious look as he handed the clothes to Orochimaru. "What were the reasons again, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke held back the sigh of frustration, but he could not help but glare up at the older ninja. "It's hideous."

"Yes, but I thought you had a list of reasons," Kabuto urged him, that patronizing smile returning to his face.

"The stupid purple rope looks ridiculous—I've seen how you people tie it, it looks like a pretzel! Do you even know how to tie a bow? And why tie a bow with it at all? It looks ridiculous!" Sasuke explained in a fluster. "And the shirt's too big, and the pants are…strange, and you didn't add the Uchiha crest. I am not wearing it if it doesn't have the Uchiha crest."

"Kabuto, I told you he would want the crest," Orochimaru looked over at the Genin with a slight shake of his head. "Did you forget?"

"Ah, I suppose I must have," Kabuto mused. "Well, I can handle that stipulation. I'll just make another one."

"Dear Kabuto, always prepared for every scenario," Orochimaru complimented him, and the man simply pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose in response, the surface reflecting the dim light as he did.

"I will get to work right away," Kabuto nodded decisively, before crossing the distance of the room and shutting the doors behind him.

Idiot. Seriously, what an idiot. Did he honestly think that the only thing wrong with that outfit was the lack of an Uchiha crest? Sasuke shook his head. It was just as bad as he had envisioned—the moron clearly did not even possess a basic sense of fashion. Why Orochimaru allowed him to mediate the outfit designs was beyond him. Then again, why did Orochimaru let him handle the planning and strategizing? And cooking, for that matter? There was no sense to be made of any of it.

"Sasuke-kun," the Snake Master addressed him, and the boy's black eyes shot up to him instantly. "Are you ready to begin?"

"I've _been_ ready," Sasuke deadpanned.

"Very well," Orochimaru's grin reappeared, his sharp teeth protruding from his mouth, and Sasuke did not even bother holding back the desire to wrinkle his nose in derision. "There will be three steps to controlling the cursed seal: the first step is a matter of building up physical endurance. You must have enough physical strength in order to control the seal on a regular basis, during the most fundamental fighting techniques. Once you have mastered that, we will move on to the second step: it will be-"

However, the Sannin was cut off when the training room doors were thrust open once more, and Sasuke glanced over his shoulder, only to award the approaching Genin an irritated look.

"I forgot the clothes," Kabuto explained with a slight laugh, and Orochimaru chuckled in response.

As he handed the clothing to the younger shinobi, Orochimaru pointed out, "You always manage to remember everything, don't you, Kabuto?"

Sasuke blinked twice. _Remember_ everything? Was he serious? Try, he always managed to _forget_ everything. If he had just remembered in the first place, he would not have needed to come back. For that matter, if he had not been so stupid and overlooked it, he would not even need to remember. And it had taken him quite some time to remember, as it was. And why had he handed the clothes to Orochimaru in the first place?

"Is the training progressing well?" the Genin was currently asking.

"Considerably," Orochimaru replied.

Considerably? What the hell did Orochimaru consider _training_? All he had done was begin an explanation of their procedure.

Glancing down at Sasuke with a pleasant smile, Kabuto noted, "See, Sasuke-kun? Wednesday was a perfect day to start training. Everything has worked out so nicely, hasn't it?"

Sasuke felt his eye twitch again, but he offered the man no response. Instead, he glared up at him, until Kabuto had exited the room once more.

"Now, then!" Orochimaru announced, and Sasuke glanced over at him to find he had one arm lifted in the air. He furrowed his brow at this, but probed no question. "We will begin your training."

"Wait…what?" Sasuke asked in confusion.

"Physical endurance," the Sannin pressed, as if it was obvious, before walking forward to stand behind Sasuke, and the boy felt that familiar chill. "So, to begin…do some push-ups."

The Uchiha turned around to face Orochimaru, his brow furrowed in utter bewilderment. "But, wait…what about the other two steps?"

"Oh, yes," Orochimaru released his usual guttural laugh. "The second step will be a matter of keeping the seal at bay during ninjutsu-based techniques. You will release certain amounts of chakra, which will gradually increase until you can resist it entirely, no matter the chakra amount. Once you have mastered that, we will proceed to the third step: actually controlling the seal. By which, of course, I mean, the ability to call forth its power at will, and in the varying degrees you wish to use."

Sasuke felt a wave of excitement building within him at the prospect, but he maintained the same indifferent expression as he nodded his head. "Good."

"Excellent," Orochimaru nodded in turn, before stamping his foot against the ground, and Sasuke could not help but wonder his reason behind it. For all he could tell, it looked like a child throwing some sort of a fit. "Now, begin those push-ups."

"Right," the young Uchiha replied, dropping to the ground on one knee, but he soon brought his onyx gaze to rest on the Sannin in confusion. "How many?"

With a wave of his hand and a strange laugh that sounded like it was mixed with a scoff, Orochimaru stated, "As many as you can do."

* * *

Sasuke was really beginning to question Orochimaru's training methods.

All he had done all day were multiple series of push-ups. Once he had fallen due to exhaustion from one set, the Snake Sannin would simply stare down at him until he recovered. Then, he would urge him to do it again, and the cycle continued. There were no windows, so it was difficult to tell the time of day, but he guessed it was late afternoon. Which meant he had been in this room doing push-ups for approximately 8 hours.

At least Kakashi had always given him full explanations for everything he had taught him, especially when requested. Orochimaru, on the other hand, said very little, and, when asked, he would just give a slight shrug of his shoulders and then that eerie smile.

Whatever. If he was the Legendary Sannin, he must know what he was doing.

Maybe…

Probably…

Right?

Sasuke almost scoffed at this very notion. Right. Orochimaru have a clue what he was doing. That would be a first. He doubted he had ever had a pupil before, and, as he had begun to notice, the man certainly loved to experiment, so perhaps that was all this training was: an experiment. It would not surprise him. It seemed a more realistic explanation than any he could come up with. Which made the young Uchiha wonder if Orochimaru even knew if those three steps would help him master the cursed seal.

Nevertheless, Sasuke opted to continue in this training process, because, all things considered, it actually made sense. Quite a bit more sense than most things that came out of the Sannin's mouth, at the very least. Not the push-ups, necessarily, but the three stages.

But, perhaps there was a more effective way to achieve mastery of this seal on a physical level?

However, even as he thought this, the young shinobi suddenly felt a piercing pain shoot through his right shoulder, and he instantly fell to the ground mid-way through his current push-up, barely managing to catch himself with his elbow. He lifted his left hand and clutched it tightly against the source of the pain, against that mark, and forced the burning sensation back as best he could. His breathing was strained and rapid, and the young Uchiha forced long, slow breaths in attempt to calm his body and lessen the trembling in his right arm.

The burning pain did not subside, but he had managed to push back the trembling and bring his breathing to a normal pace, and, therefore, he forced himself to a sitting position on the floor. Only then did he remember the presence of Orochimaru, and he focused his black eyes on the man with a scowl.

"Excellent, Sasuke-kun," the Sannin complimented, with his grin, and that almost obsessed gaze that always managed to unnerve the boy.

"What's so excellent about it?" Sasuke shot back irritably, pressing his hand against the seal tighter in attempt to ease the pain.

"8 hours of nothing but physical labor, and, even then, you manage to force the seal back," Orochimaru informed him. "This is an excellent beginning. Truly, you are more worthy of this gift than any who have come before."

More worthy, huh? Well, he did not doubt that, especially considering the idiotic Sound Ninja who had the seal, and who, quite frankly, were even more moronic than Orochimaru and Kabuto. Then again, there was that one powerful ninja who had been standing beside him when the seals on the container had been released. He did not know anything about him, though. Based on the remaining company, however, he was probably an idiot, too.

"How long did it take them?" Sasuke found himself asking.

"Oh, most people died," the Sannin stated matter-of-factly, as if these lives were a trifling matter. "Only about 10% of everyone granted this power survived. As for those who did survive, most could not master the use of it, and those who did took several years. Only Kimimaro managed to control it at the rapidity you are demonstrating."

"Kimimaro…," Sasuke mused, searching for some recollection of the name, but none came. "Who is that?"

"He is the one who intercepted your container after the others fell, and he gave his life ensuring you made your way to me," Orochimaru replied, his eyes widening in excitement as he relayed this information to Sasuke, and the boy cringed when the man's long tongue protruded, saliva dripping as he licked his lips. "He was originally the chosen one, but he fell ill, most likely a result of his bloodline limit."

"You originally trained _him_, then?" the Uchiha inquired.

"Oh, no," Orochimaru chuckled. "He and I simply had an agreement."

"An agreement?" Sasuke furrowed his brow. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

"You will see, Sasuke-kun…," Orochimaru stared down at him almost longingly, "…in time."

The boy turned away from the Sannin, no longer comfortable meeting his gaze, and he instead brought his dark eyes to inspect the training room. As he did this, however, his confidence returned and another question arose. "What do you mean, when you say I'm the chosen one?" he asked.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru chided him, his raspy laugh sounding once more. "All will be revealed to you in due time."

Sasuke scowled at this answer, but he did not question the older ninja any further. He simply resolved to uncover the meaning behind this statement himself. After all, if he listened to Orochimaru and Kabuto long enough, they might even reveal it to him on a whim, unintentionally. After all, everything seemed casual conversation for those two.

Forcing himself to his feet, his legs aching in protest, Sasuke returned his onyx gaze to the Snake Master and adopted his impassive façade once more. "Orochimaru," he addressed the man, and the elder's glowing serpent eyes locked on him in anticipation of whatever he had to say. "Have you ever trained _anyone_ before?"

"Now that you mention it, I did train one person, for a few days, but he died shortly after," Orochimaru replied easily.

Sasuke continued to stare up at him blankly, though he was a little shocked by this answer, and he could not help but notice a certain pattern that was beginning to emerge. Everyone in association with Orochimaru somehow managed to end up dead. Interesting…

Well, except Kabuto.

* * *

"What the hell is the matter with you?"

Kabuto lowered the shirt in his hands and inspected it carefully, before returning his gaze to the young Uchiha in perplexity. "I added the crest, like you wanted."

"Yes, but it looks exactly the same as before," Sasuke rolled his eyes at the Genin. "Did you even use a different shirt?"

"Of course not," Kabuto chuckled lightly.

"Give me that!" Sasuke snatched the fabric away from Kabuto and inspected the over-sized shirt, before turning it to the back. It was true, it did have his clan's crest, but it was horribly drawn. Wait, _drawn_? "You _drew _the crest?!" the boy asked in frustration.

"Painted," the Genin corrected him proudly.

"I am not wearing this piece of shit," the Uchiha threw the shirt back in Kabuto's face, and the man caught it with a perturbed look in place. "Come up with something else, and show me the design before you make it," the boy instructed.

"I thought for sure this would work," Kabuto released a heavy sigh, beginning the laborious task of neatly folding the shirt and then setting it on the table. "Do you approve of the color, then?"

Sasuke let his black eyes wander over the material, before awarding the man a slightly annoyed look. "No," he replied shortly. "Green is not…my color."

"I'll remember that," the older shinobi assured him with a firm nod of his head. "Not the color green." Inspecting Sasuke's current apparel with a critical eye, the man then said, "And honestly, I think you're getting a little old for that bright blue."

"It's not…_bright_ blue," Sasuke followed the man's gaze to his shirt, with a slight frown. With a shrug, however, he turned his back to Kabuto and said, "Whatever, just make it something neutral, then."

"Neutral," the Genin repeated, and Sasuke rolled his eyes, walking out of the small room and stepping into the main passageway.

He had continued training with Orochimaru for another 4 hours, during which time, the cursed seal had begun acting up more and more frequently as exhaustion had settled in. Much to his dismay, the Sannin had decided to call it a day, and instructed him to report to Kabuto for an update on the outfit. Not that _that_ had gone over well. The idiot…

Presently, he made his way down the passageway to the kitchen, where he pulled the door open and promptly headed to the fridge. While Kabuto had been away, he had apparently bought groceries to resupply the refrigerator, and Sasuke decided to take advantage of the opportunity to forgo both the imbecilic Genin's cooking and the ramen that was starting to become customary.

However, when he opened the fridge door, the Uchiha found it in much the same state it had been the night before, with an addition of three cartons of eggs and two cheesecakes. _That_ was what those two idiots considered grocery shopping? This was ridiculous.

Sasuke slammed the door shut and walked over to the pantry, where he grabbed a cup of ramen and then set it on the small kitchen table. He set a kettle of water to boil on the stove and then prepared the teapot. If he had to boil water, he might as well get the most out of it. The young Uchiha then crossed the room and took a seat at the table, propping his elbow on it and resting his chin in his palm. As he waited for the water, he began fiddling absently with the lid on the ramen container.

…

"_I really love ramen! I really, really love eating at Ichiraku Ramen!"_

_Sakura heaved a sigh, glancing over at Naruto with a mildly annoyed look. "Naruto, stop it. We're not even at Ichiraku's."_

"_But the Old Man makes the best ramen!" Naruto declared energetically. "I especially love it when Iruka-sensei makes it his treat!"_

_Kakashi shook his head, handing Naruto's cup of ramen to him. "Here, eat up."_

"_Okay!" Naruto nodded happily, grabbing a pair of chopsticks and, as he broke them, he exclaimed, "Itadakimasu!"_

"_Sakura," Kakashi's eyes closed in the characteristic way they always did when he smiled, and he handed a cup to her as well._

"_Thank you, Kakashi-sensei," the girl smiled sweetly, brushing a hand through her long, pink hair before accepting the serving._

"_Here, Sakura-chan!" Naruto faced her with a broad grin as he offered her a pair of chopsticks._

_Sakura rolled her eyes, but nevertheless accepted the utensils, a little more rough than necessary, and Naruto frowned at her._

"_Sakura-chan…," he whined._

"_Oh, shut-up, Naruto," the girl waved him off with a slight gesture of her hand. She then began eating her meal, purposefully seeming slow and paced at first. However, as was always the case with that girl, the longer she ate her food, the faster she got, revealing an inner nature that was not quite as ladylike as she would have the world believe._

_Kakashi then handed the last cup to the other boy. "Sasuke."_

_Sasuke nodded his head as he accepted the dish, about to reach for a pair of chopsticks, but Sakura was already holding a pair out for him to accept. He held back the sigh, but could not refrain from awarding her an annoyed look as he accepted the chopsticks from her. Honestly, he sometimes wondered if she ever realized how alike she and Naruto were. Doubtful. If she did, it was unlikely the blond would annoy her as much as he always seemed to._

_As they began eating in silence, it was quickly broken by Naruto. Then again, it usually was._

"_You know what I really hate?" he asked no one in particular, and, therefore, no one answered. "The 3 minutes you have to wait after pouring the water."_

_This was not the first time Naruto had complained about those 3 minutes, and they all knew it would not be the last. The three of them had gotten into a habit of not responding to him when he said it, but this time, Sasuke found himself compelled to make a remark._

"_There are longer things you'll have to wait for in life, Naruto," he drawled, his black eyes fixed on the noodles in his cup as he swirled them back and forth with his chopsticks, just for the sake of looking at something. "You might as well get used to being patient."_

"_That's right, Naruto!" Sakura immediately agreed with him, and Sasuke had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at her. "A ninja must have patience!"_

"_I know that," Naruto jutted out his bottom lip in a pout as he hung his head in shame. "I still hate those 3 minutes."_

…

Sasuke was pulled from his reverie at the sound of a whistling kettle, and he immediately shot to his feet. Crossing the kitchen, he shut off the burner and then filled the teapot. As he did, the scent of jasmine wafted through the air, invading his senses, but he quickly pushed this aside and walked back to the table to fill the ramen cup, as well. He then set the kettle on the stove and opened the drawer to grab a pair of chopsticks. He also grabbed a mug from the cabinet for his tea, and then set them all on the table in front of him.

Retaking his seat, his rested his chin back in his palm and focused his dark gaze on the cup of ramen. A slight smirk forming at the corner of his mouth, he shook his head at the memory. Naruto always was a very impatient person, no matter the situation, and though he had a sunny disposition, he also had a short fuse. And, when that fuse was lit, he became explosive. In fact, even when he was happy, he was explosive. He was just an all-around explosive person.

As for Sakura, that girl was just ridiculous. She fell into a brief depression every time he shot her down, and yet, she turned around and did the same thing to Naruto. She threw insults at Naruto, calling him annoying, whiney, or a pig, and then she acted the exact same way.

Sasuke frowned at thought. She really did annoy him.

He shook his head of this, however, and forced his attention back to the present. The Uchiha tried to focus his mind on his training, on building up the physical capability to resist the cursed seal, on exceeding even Kimimaro when he managed to master control faster. However, the longer he stared down at the cup of ramen, the more and more a certain boy with blond spiked hair kept screaming in his head, _"I still hate those 3 minutes!"_

What was it about those 3 minutes that always made them seem to drag on for an eternity? That made even the most tolerant people impatient?

He himself could be patient when it came to almost anything—biding his time in seeking revenge, waiting until he was stronger, patiently following Kakashi's instructions when he had learned the Chidori, even listening to Orochimaru's nonsensical directions, and rhythmically doing push-ups for 12 hours straight. And yet, there was something about those 3 minutes that made them so insufferable.

"_I still hate those 3 minutes!"_

The smirk returning, Sasuke confessed, "I hate those 3 minutes, too, Naruto."


	6. Early to Rise

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter VI

"Early to Rise"

…

He was not sure what had roused him. There was no window through which sun could stream, and there were no chirping birds outside, or some alarm clock. The room was as dark and silent as when he had fallen asleep. In fact, it might even be darker, with the lack of the candle. Whatever the reason, Sasuke found himself awake surprisingly early, and lying in bed any longer would not do him any good, because he could not seem to fall asleep again. Therefore, he sat up and placed his feet against the cold stone floor.

The young Uchiha stumbled to a standing position and then walked across the room to pull his door open. After walking some distance down the passageway, his hand against the wall for support, he took a turn and opened the kitchen door. As he stepped inside, however, he was startled into a more alert mode when he found Kabuto standing directly in front of him.

"Gah!"

"Oh, good morning, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto smiled pleasantly, before tossing his napkin in the trashcan. Gesturing for the boy to take a sit, the older shinobi asked, "Did you sleep well?"

"Fine," Sasuke muttered dryly, walking past him and coming to a stop in front of the fridge.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it," the Genin nodded, retaking his seat at the table and then taking a long sip from his glass of milk. "We want you in prime health, after all. I hear your training is pretty rigorous, and if you're ill, we can't have you putting any strain on your body. As it is, your body…well…," he trailed off with the same, pleasant smile. "Let's just say it's important."

Sasuke offered the man no response, proceeding to simply pull the fridge door open and search its contents with his eyes. When he grabbed the carton of milk, however, he found that it was empty, and he turned back to face the older ninja with a scowl.

"Kabuto," he began slowly, "did you use the last of this?"

"Oh, I suppose I must have," Kabuto said with a slight laugh.

"You didn't think to save it for anyone else?" Sasuke pressed.

"Well, Orochimaru-sama doesn't really drink milk," the Genin explained matter-of-factly. "He prefers apple juice."

The Uchiha stared at him silently a moment, before drawling, "I wasn't referring to Orochimaru."

Kabuto tilted his head to one side, and then realization struck. "Oh, I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. Did you want some milk?"

"Obviously," Sasuke shot back. "Otherwise I wouldn't have brought it up!"

"Ah, I'll remember that in the future," Kabuto declared. "If that's the case, I suppose I'll have to stop drinking from the carton."

"You drank from the carton, _and_ poured yourself that glass?!" Sasuke exclaimed.

"Well, yes," Kabuto said with an easy shrug of his shoulders. "It's what I always do. But I'll just drink it from the glass in the future."

Holding back the sigh, Sasuke muttered, "Fine. And, next time, when you use the last of it, don't put it back in the fridge. Throw it away, like a normal person."

"Of course, of course," Kabuto said through a laugh. "I must say, Sasuke-kun, you're always so cranky in the morning."

The boy crossed the room and tossed the empty carton in the trashcan, before walking to the stove and setting a kettle of water to boil. As he leaned against the counter and folded his arms in front of him, he muttered, "I'm not a morning person."

"Well, I can see _that_," the Genin remarked in amusement, taking another sip of his milk. "Oh! Would you like some of mine?" he offered, holding out the glass.

Sasuke glanced up at him with a disgusted look in place. "No. Absolutely not. You drank out of it."

"My, you're awfully picky," Kabuto tsked the boy. "Orochimaru-sama and I do that all the time—it's less wasteful that way, you know?"

"I'm sure," the Uchiha drawled with a slight shake of his head, pushing away from the counter and searching through the cabinet for that tea. However, when he came up empty, he turned around to award Kabuto a look of perplexity. "Are we out of jasmine?"

"Jasmine, what?" Kabuto asked.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the moron. "Tea. Jasmine tea."

"Oh," the man simply shrugged his shoulders. "Must be. I'm going to the store later today, so, if you want, you can just make a list."

A list, huh? That would work. He had quite a few things he would put on there. With a slight nod of his head, Sasuke asked, "Alright, where can I find a pencil and paper?"

"There should be some in the nightstand in your room—oh…wait, which room do you have?" Kabuto checked.

"Down those two halls, first door on the left," Sasuke drawled, wondering how, since Kabuto had been the one who assigned it to him, the man had managed to forget. "And I checked all the drawers, they're empty."

"Well…I suppose there aren't any in your room, then," the Genin nodded.

"Yeah, I know," Sasuke deadpanned. "That's what I just said."

"In which case," Kabuto continued, completely disregarding the boy's words, "there might be some on top of the fridge there."

"On top…of the fridge?" the young Uchiha asked slowly.

"Yes," Kabuto smiled up at him. "We decided to keep them there after Orochimaru-sama compiled a grocery list for me. He was out of artichokes, you see, and he needed them for an experiment. We've kept the paper up there ever since. For convenience's sake, you know?"

Convenience. Right. It seemed a pretty stupid place to keep writing utensils. No matter, he would make a list after breakfast and give it to Kabuto. Hopefully, the man did not actually forget to take the list with him to the store. He would not put it past the idiot.

Sasuke let his dark eyes inspect the kitchen, in search of something appropriate for breakfast that looked edible. Before he managed to find anything, however, the kettle whistled, and he took it off the burning. Looking through the cabinet, he sifted through the different teas, and found a spiced one that he liked. It would have to do. He filled the teapot, and, as he turned around again, he stumbled back in a start, and the kettle flew from his hands, hot water splattering on the floor.

Orochimaru, who had been standing directly behind him, released a high-pitched scream, and Kabuto rushed from his seat at the table to his master's side. The Sannin fell down in a pitiful heap, clutching his foot, which had been splashed by the boiling water, and he cried out in pain. A bit of a dramatized pain, at that. Surely, it was not _that _painful.

"Orochimaru-sama, are you alright?" Kabuto asked, sincere concern dripping from his voice, and the Snake Master only shook his head vigorously in response. "Come with me," the Genin urged, rubbing Orochimaru's back in a soothing manner, and then he helped the older man to his feet. "Come, sit at the table."

Orochimaru did as his assistant instructed, falling to the seat at the head of the table as he released an obviously melodramatic sigh.

"I'll make your breakfast," Kabuto assured him. "Do you want your eggs fried or scrambled?"

The Sannin took a minute to compose himself, before looking up at the Genin through watery eyes and a smile. "Dear Kabuto, you know I like them scrambled."

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto nodded, and he then turned around and set a chastising look on Sasuke. "You really need to be more careful."

The Uchiha shook his head at this, exclaiming, "I've told him to stop sneaking up behind me like that!"

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru chuckled, which made Sasuke wonder if the whole fit had been an act, some way to gain attention, and he rolled his eyes at this thought. "I've told you that you have no reason to be afraid. None of us here are going to do you any harm."

Kabuto smiled at this and leaned over to whisper something in Orochimaru's ear, which both men laughed at.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes into a glare and demanded, "_What_?"

"Nothing, Sasuke-kun," the Genin straightened himself and then crossed the kitchen to grab a frying pain from a lower cabinet. As he grabbed the proper ingredients and started the burner, his eyes lowered to the water on the floor, and he noted, "Someone really should clean that up."

"Sasuke-kun, would you like to clean up the mess?" Orochimaru asked with a grin.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. "No. Why don't _you_?"

"Tsk tsk tsk," the Sannin shook his head at him. "I am clearly injured."

"Right, because a tiny splash of hot water is going to inhibit you from standing for the rest of the morning," Sasuke drawled sarcastically. "Why don't you get Kabuto to do it?"

"Sasuke-kun, you are the one who spilt the water," Orochimaru pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't snuck up behind me," the Uchiha countered.

"I already _told_ you," Orochimaru chuckled. "There is nothing to be afraid of."

"Being afraid and being creeped out aren't the same thing," Sasuke said simply. "I'm not cleaning that up." Crossing his arms in front of him, he again suggested, "You do it."

Orochimaru remained silent a moment, before turning his pleasant smile on the man preparing his eggs. "Kabuto, clean up that mess."

"Ah," Kabuto set the spatula down on the counter. "Of course, Orochimaru-sama." The Genin grabbed a kitchen towel and quickly wiped up the water, before setting the towel back where it had been.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke furrowed his brow.

As he picked up the spatula, Kabuto answered pleasantly, "Making eggs. Why? Do you want some?"

"No," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I meant, why are you putting that dirty towel back on the counter? Shouldn't it…go in the laundry?"

"An excellent suggestion, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru nodded in agreement. "Kabuto, I daresay he's proving to be a fine addition to our party."

"He certainly is, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto glanced over at the Sannin with his pleasant smile. "I had my doubts at first."

"Kabuto," Orochimaru tsked him. "Always assuming the worst. That's why I can always count on you, to think of every possible scenario."

Kabuto looked quite pleased with himself, and he took the kitchen towel in his hands and exited the room altogether. Sasuke furrowed is brow, wondering if the man really was that absent-minded, that he could so easily forget his present task merely with the development of some new train of conversation.

No matter. The young Uchiha shook his head and finally spotted something that would work for breakfast. He grabbed the bread, took two slices, and set them in the toaster. He then leaned against the counter and crossed his arms in front of him once more.

"Aha!" Orochimaru suddenly exclaimed, and Sasuke glanced back over at him in surprise. Presently, the Sannin was jumping to his feet and staring intently at the refrigerator door, and, at this realization, Sasuke took a careful step to the side to distance himself from the fridge.

However, nothing happened, and, when Kabuto returned to the kitchen, Orochimaru retook his seat with a pleased grin.

"Oh, Orochimaru-sama, I think your eggs are done," Kabuto announced, and he quickly slid the partially blackened eggs onto a plate. Glancing over at Sasuke with a smile, the Genin asked, "Are you sure you don't want any eggs, Sasuke-kun? It's no trouble."

"I don't like eggs," Sasuke stated dryly.

Kabuto blinked twice, his expression one of shock, and he then probed, "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Sasuke deadpanned. "They're disgusting."

"Tsk," Kabuto shook his head as he handed the plate to Orochimaru. "It's very sad that you think that. Well…I suppose I could make something else for you. What do you like?"

Just as the man was asking, however, the bread in the toaster popped up, and Sasuke glanced over it blankly. "I already made toast."

"Well….that's not much of breakfast," the Genin remarked, as he pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose. "I'm going to make pancakes for myself. Do you want some?"

"No," Sasuke replied.

"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto then glanced over at the Snake Master, "would you like some pancakes?"

"Of course, Kabuto," Orochimaru grinned, a bite of eggs halfway in his mouth. "You always do make the best breakfasts."

After a time, the three found themselves sitting at the small kitchen table together. Kabuto was happily sipping at his milk as he drenched his pancakes in syrup, and Orochimaru had busied himself with using his long tongue to lick up the apple juice from his glass. Sasuke sat across from the Sannin, his spiced tea steaming in the mug beside his plate, as he buttered his toast.

"Are you absolutely sure you don't want any pancakes, Sasuke-kun?" Kabuto asked.

"They're excellent," Orochimaru pointed out, which, as usual, was directed as a compliment to Kabuto.

"I don't like sweets," Sasuke informed them in a dry tone.

"Don't like sweets?" Kabuto asked, his eyes suddenly widening. "Well, goodness. You don't like sweets, you don't like eggs…that eliminates almost everything you could eat for breakfast. You can't have pancakes, waffles, French toast, eggs served in anyway-"

"Boiled eggs," Orochimaru began listing them off, "scrambled eggs, fried eggs, omelets."

"Precisely," the Genin nodded his head, before glancing back at Sasuke. "Do you like oranges?"

"Not really," Sasuke replied.

"Bananas?"

"No."

"Peaches, then? Pears?"

"No."

"Plums?"

"No."

"What's your opinion on cranberries?"

"They're too sweet."

"Blueberries?"

"No."

"Strawberries?"

Before Sasuke could answer, Orochimaru chimed in, "Blackberries? Raspberries?"

"No," Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Apples?" Kabuto asked.

Sasuke paused at this, before offering a slight shrug of his shoulders. "I don't _hate _them."

Orochimaru leaned over to tell Kabuto in a hushed voice, "Apples, Kabuto."

"I'll make a note of that," the Genin smiled, obviously pleased with himself for arriving at this conclusion. As he focused his eyes back on the young Uchiha, he mused, "You really are hard to shop for. What child doesn't like _sweets_?"

"Dear Kabuto, Sasuke-kun is not a child anymore. He is a teenager. However, it will certainly make it difficult when his birthday comes around," Orochimaru remarked. At this, however, he, too, focused his yellow snake eyes on Sasuke. "When is your birthday, Sasuke-kun?"

Why the hell did they want to know his birthday? And what did it matter if he liked sweets or not?

"July 23rd," Sasuke answered dryly, keeping his blank expression and not bothering to voice his questions.

Kabuto pulled a scroll and a pen from his side pouch and immediately made a note of this. "Since you don't like sweets, I assume you don't like cake?"

"No, I hate cake," Sasuke told him.

Even as he said this, a particular memory surfaced to the front of his mind…

…

"_Yay!" a child's voice rang out suddenly. "Nii-san, we get to celebrate our birthdays together this year!"_

_His mother smiled, patting her youngest son on the head. "That's right," she told him. "Since yours and Itachi's birthdays are so close, your father thought it would be a good idea."_

"_When are we going to celebrate it?" Sasuke asked eagerly._

"_Probably sometime in June," Mikoto replied._

"_Did you hear that, Nii-san?!" Sasuke glanced up at his older brother with a grin. "Yours won't even need to be late, and mine will be early!"_

_Itachi managed a small smile, but there was a look of concern in his eyes. "Kaa-san, can't we celebrate it on Sasuke's birthday, instead?"_

"_Hmm," Mikoto titled her head to one side in thought. "Well, your father said it would be easier if we held the party in June."_

_Even as Itachi's smile faded, his younger brother run up to him and pulled him into a hug._

"_Isn't this great, Nii-san?!" Sasuke exclaimed. The child's eyes widened in curiosity, however, and he asked, "If I'm having my birthday early, does that mean I'm going to be turning older faster than you are? Oh! Does that mean I'll be able to catch up to you?! Wouldn't it be great if we were turning the same age?!"_

_Mikoto laughed at this. "You would have to be twins for that to happen, Sasuke."_

"_Huh?" Sasuke glanced over at his mother. "How do we become twins?"_

"_You can't _become_ twins," his mother informed him. "You have to be born that way. You were born younger than Itachi, though."_

"_Oh," the small boy dropped his gaze to the floor with a frown, but he was pulled out of it when his older brother returned the hug._

"_Just because we're celebrating our birthday on the same day, it doesn't mean your birthday isn't still July 23__rd__," Itachi told him. "Your birthday is unique to you, just like mine is to me."_

"_Ohh," Sasuke nodded his head. His eyes widening, he asked, "Do I still get my special dinner?"_

"_Of course, Sasuke," Mikoto assured him, laughing again. "I know you don't like sweets." Lowering her voice to a whisper, she said, "We'll save all of those for your brother."_

"_Like the cake?" the boy asked with an excited smile._

"_Definitely," Itachi agreed, winking at his little brother. "You know I like my cakes."_

…

"No cake, then."

Sasuke was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Kabuto's voice, and he glanced over to see the man scribbling something on the scroll.

"Well, that will be a depressing party," Kabuto tsked. "Orochimaru-sama, do you think we should make cake for the rest of us, and just give Sasuke-kun something else?"

"Oh, Kabuto," Orochimaru smiled. "You always do have the most astounding ideas. How you come up with them, I'll never know."

"Wait," Sasuke glanced between the two in confusion. "You want to celebrate my birthday?"

"Of course, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto waved his words away, as if it was a trifling matter. "We celebrate everyone's birthdays. Well…all the important people, anyway. Not the prisoners, or the experiments. But, all the jailers, and, of course, Orochimaru-sama and myself."

"You always do manage to throw the best parties, Kabuto," the Sannin noted.

"Well," Kabuto took the compliment with a conceited smirk as he fixed his glasses.

Sasuke shook his head at the idiots, proceeding to eat his toast and then sip slowly at his tea. He leaned back in his chair, in search of a more comfortable position, but he paused when he felt something brush against his foot underneath the table.

"Oh, sorry, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto glanced over at him with a pleasant smile.

"It's fine," Sasuke mumbled.

"Oh, I just remembered!" the Genin exclaimed, glancing between Orochimaru and Sasuke. "I believe we should change hideouts soon. You know, for safety reasons."

"Astute, as always, Kabuto," Orochimaru nodded in approval.

"And I was thinking we could head to the beach hideout," Kabuto stated. "It will be good for all of us to have a bit of fresh air. Especially you, Sasuke-kun. I believe a bit of sun will be good for you. What do you think, Orochimaru-sama?"

"An excellent plan," the Snake Sannin replied. "As always."

Turning to the boy with a smile, Kabuto asked, "Sasuke-kun?"

"Fine," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "More importantly, when can we start training today?"

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru chided him with a slight scoff. "We do not begin training until 8 o'clock."

"Well…what time is it?" Sasuke furrowed his brow.

"Oh, it's 6:30," Kabuto informed him pleasantly, before stabbing into his pancakes and taking a slow, satisfied bite. Focusing his eyes on Orochimaru, he said, "I just had a wonderful idea! What do you think of giving some of these pancakes to Juugo the next time we see him? It might help calm his nerves."

"Dear Kabuto," the man smiled at him fondly. "Is there no limit to your brilliance?"

Sasuke leaned back in his chair with a frown, letting the two older ninja converse whatever new topic they were on, his black eyes fixed on the tea in his mug. He watched the thin file of steam that flowed through the air just above the surface, and he lifted the cup to his mouth to blow softly on the hot liquid. The flow of steam was disrupted for a brief moment, but it soon fell back into place, back into its natural trail above the tea.

As the young Uchiha sat there, staring down at his beverage in silence, he could feel his concentration slowly slipping, and he knew it was because of the early hour. He really did hate mornings, and he could not help but wonder why in the hell he had woken up so early.

And he could not help but regret not sleeping in later.


	7. The Beach

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter VII

"The Beach"

…

The gentle squawk of gulls filled the vicinity, matching the crash of waves against the shore, as the fresh scent of salt drifted through the air. A strong gust of wind fought against the current, forcing the waves to smash even more violently against the cliffs. Some distance from the cliffs, however, the water was calmer, so calm that even a single ripple disturbed the surface, which was the case when a foot smashed against the ocean.

"I must say, Sasuke-kun, you're quite skilled at this."

The boy lifted his black eyes to focus a glare on the nuisance beside him, but the smile on the older man's face did not disappear. Rather, he kept it in place as he turned to his master, who, as it turned out, was also smiling at the young Uchiha. But in a different way. In a more unnerving way.

"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto began, "I do believe you should start teaching Sasuke-kun about the various ways we travel. That way, we can change locations more effectively, and with less chance of being detected."

"Kabuto," Orochimaru's smile now turned pleasant as he looked to his medical ninja. "Marvelous, as always. I can always count on you to come up with the best ideas, can't I?"

Again, Kabuto looked pleased with himself as he took Orochimaru's compliment, and Sasuke just shook his head at the pair of them. If he paid too much heed to their antics, it just started to drive him crazy. So, he found it best to ignore them whenever he could.

Unfortunately, that was sometimes easier said than done.

Currently, the trio was walking along the surface of the ocean, on their way to, what Kabuto kept calling, the "beach hideout." Apparently, it did not take long to reach, but, as always seemed to be the case when traveling with Kabuto and Orochimaru, a short journey was impossible. They stopped for every little thing, and Kabuto always managed to forget something, which stalled their progress.

Kabuto had neglected to go shopping, as he had said he would, but he had assured Sasuke that he would so as soon as they reached the new hideout. Therefore, the Uchiha had opted to take the list with him, which he had made for the older Genin, so that he could have something other than ramen and toast to eat from this kitchen.

As Sasuke traveled in silence, letting his dark gaze wander around the wide expanse of water, beside him, conversation continued to ensue between the two older ninja.

"So, he said neutral," Kabuto was telling the Sannin, "but, when I made him one that was a neutral color, he said he hated that, too. He said he didn't like the color brown. Brown is neutral, isn't it, Orochimaru-sama?"

"Of course it is," Orochimaru agreed. "But, if you consider it, brown is not very fitting for Sasuke-kun. I believe he meant something colorless. Black and white, Kabuto."

"Well, in any case, I'm currently working on a new design, and I believe this one will be successful," the Genin announced proudly, pushing his glasses up the brim of his nose.

"I have no doubt in your ability, Kabuto," his master nodded in approval. "Every outfit you design is top-notch. Our dear Sasuke-kun is a very selective person, though, so he won't settle for anything but the best. And I'm sure, since you're the one designing it, this will not be too great a challenge."

"Yes, but it's just a matter of _when_," Kabuto stated. "As it stands, I'm getting a little tired of seeing him in that blue shirt. I mean, I know I did a rather good job of patching up the back, but…it's just a little boring, you know? A shirt and shorts." Lowering his voice to a level at which he believed the younger Uchiha would not be able to hear him, he whispered, "He doesn't know much about fashion, does he?"

"Dear Kabuto, no one knows fashion like you do," Orochimaru pointed out.

Sasuke had to hold back a scoff at this. Kabuto know fashion? That was a laugh. This suggestion made the boy again wonder what the state of things would be if Orochimaru oversaw such things, considering how he complimented Kabuto. Then again, Sasuke could not imagine much worse, as his black eyes wandered over Orochimaru's long, yellow robe and the ridiculous purple waist-bow. Perhaps the man simply did not own a mirror, so he was not aware how stupid he looked. But then, there were mirrors in every bathroom in those hideouts, so this was doubtful.

The trio fell into a silence after this, and Sasuke watched as each step he took along the surface of the water caused a ripple, which stretched on one side with further consequences than he could see. On his other side, however, it immediately crashed into the ripple created by Orochimaru's footfall, and neither progressed very far.

On the opposite side of the Snake Master, Kabuto had pulled out a scroll and was scribbling something down, and Sasuke began to wonder if he was actually taking notes on anything important, or if it was just for the hell of having something to do? Either way, the Genin looked very intense about whatever he was writing. Not that this helped in deciphering what it was. Kabuto could be intense about a vast number of things.

The young Uchiha did not allow himself to linger too long on thoughts of Kabuto, however, and he instead turned his attention to the scene before him once more. He inhaled the scent of the ocean and allowed the wind to blow his hair in wisps about his face, slowly calming his mind from all the frustrations he felt in the company of these two. Perhaps coming to this particular hideout was not such a bad idea. At the very least, it would give him something to do while he waited for these idiots to get their act together and for Orochimaru to start training him.

Eventually, however, as always seemed the happen, the silence was broken.

"Kabuto," the Sannin addressed the younger man, his yellow snake eyes glancing over the area, before coming to rest on the Genin. "What is your favorite color?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Orochimaru interrupted the peace that had fallen for _that_?

"Interesting that you should ask," Kabuto stated as he folded his scroll and fastened the ribbon around it securely. "Contrary to what many assume, it is not purple, but in fact, it is lilac."

Lilac? How was that any different than purple? Idiot.

"Hm," Orochimaru mused. "I did not expect that."

"Yes, not many do," the Genin nodded in agreement. "What is your favorite color, Orochimaru-sama?"

"Mine?" the Snake Master's eyes wandered as he considered the question. "Do you know that…banana-y yellow?"

"Banana-_ish_ yellow, I believe, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh, right," Orochimaru chuckled softly. "Kabuto, you always have the answers when words escape me."

"And why is that your favorite?" the medical ninja inquired.

"It reminds me of eggs, you see," the Sannin replied.

"Oh," Kabuto nodded. "Well, in that case, wouldn't you say your favorite color is an egg-yolk yellow instead?"

"Kabuto," the older man smiled at him fondly. "You're insightful, as always."

Kabuto fixed his glasses with a proud smile, before asking, "Is that the only reason you fancy that color?"

"No, I suppose I also like it because it matches my eyes quite nicely," Orochimaru remarked. "And, because of that, it always looks quite good on me."

"You're quite right, it does," Kabuto complimented him.

"Oh, thank you, Kabuto," the Sannin ran a hand along his sleeve as he said it, smoothing out any wrinkles in his robe. "And what is it about lilac that you like?"

"Well, I'd say I like it because it's a softer sort of purple, you know?" Kabuto explained. "It's still purple, which, for some reason, is a color I've always liked, probably because it looks good on so many people, and can therefore be incorporated into outfit designs with ease. But, at the same time, lilac is a gentler sort of the color. It's lighter. More easy on the eyes."

"Dear Kabuto, you always have an eye for these things, don't you?" Orochimaru remarked pleasantly.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted.

At this, both Kabuto and Orochimaru focused their eyes on the boy, one with eyes of curiosity, the other with eyes of longing.

"What is your favorite color, Sasuke-kun?" Kabuto asked.

"Why?" Sasuke shot back.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru tsked him with a chastising smile. "You should join the conversation."

"I don't see a reason why I should," the young Uchiha said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

"Come now, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto urged him. "We told you our favorite colors."

"What do I care?" Sasuke rolled his eyes. "It's not like I asked you to."

Kabuto stared at the boy silently a moment, inspecting him, before lifting his gaze to Orochimaru in alarm. "Can it be?" he asked. "Do you believe it's possible that Sasuke-kun doesn't have a favorite color?"

"First, he doesn't like sweets, now he doesn't have a favorite color," the Sannin shook his head.

"What kind of childhood did you have?" Kabuto asked in perplexity.

"Oh, shut-up," Sasuke demanded in annoyance, lifting his black eyes to shoot a glare in Kabuto's direction. "Fine, I'll tell you. It's blue."

"_Blue_," Orochimaru mused, as if in enthralled by the answer.

"Blue," Kabuto repeated, lifting his hand to tap his forefinger against his chin. "That does explain a lot."

"What does it explain?" Sasuke scoffed.

"Oh, why you insist on wearing that shirt, why you didn't like the green outfit I designed, why only black and white will do if you can't have blue," the older shinobi listed off, as if each point was of great importance. "Well, since you like blue, what's the reason?"

The young Uchiha merely shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Oh, come now, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru released a throaty laugh. "Everyone has a reason for liking a color."

"Not everyone," the boy snapped.

"Are you saying you don't?" Kabuto pried.

Sasuke held back the sigh, dropping his gaze to the surface of the ocean as he muttered, "What does it matter to you if I do or not?"

"Well, we're curious," the Genin replied. "Obviously."

"Nosy, is more like it," Sasuke retorted. Honestly, Kabuto had a knack for that. It reminded him a certain pink-haired shinobi…

…

"_Sasuke-kun, what's your favorite color?"_

_Turning his head only slightly, the young Uchiha realized it was that annoying Haruno girl who was asking him. It was before Team 7 had been formed, before he had grown to consider her a friend, and before he had even begun to see her as anything but a bother._

_Presently, she was walking up to him with a large grin plastered across her face._

"_Blue," he told her dryly, in the hopes that supplying her with an answer would compel the girl to go away._

"_Really?!" she exclaimed happily. "Mine, too! We have something in common!"_

_As she told him this, Sasuke let his black eyes wander over the girl's attire. Over her rose-colored hair, and her magenta clothing. In fact, he could not remember an instance in which she had worn anything but pink or red. Was blue really her favorite color? Or was she saying that, because he had told her it was his?_

_Probably the latter._

"_Why is it your favorite?" the annoying girl pressed._

_Sasuke gave her no answer. He merely shoved his hands in his pockets and turned his back to the nuisance, proceeding to simply walk away from her._

_As if he was going to explain to _her_ why blue was his favorite color._

…

Likewise, the longer Sasuke stared at the meddlesome expression on Kabuto's face, he felt a firm resolve to not reveal his reasons to the idiotic man. He did not warrant an explanation from him. And neither did Orochimaru, who he could tell was eagerly watching him as well, awaiting the boy's answer.

Well, they could both be disappointed, for all he cared.

He turned his face away from them and, just as he had before, he shoved his hands into his pockets. However, he would be unable to walk away from them, because, as it was, he was journeying with them, and he did not have the slightest idea where this new hideout was. Therefore, he simply settled for ignoring them, and, eventually, they turned their attention away from him, allowing to let him keep his reasons to himself.

His black eyes falling to the ocean beneath his feet, he stared silently at his reflection and allowed his mind to wander to his own reasons for favoring that particular color. As he stared at the black eyes, the pale skin, the dark hair, it transformed into a figure a little taller than himself, with longer hair, and with stress lines that fell beneath his eyes…

…

_He was 7 years old. It was early in the morning, when that dark blue hue blanketed the sky, and he was sitting beside his older brother on their back porch. His feet were dangling over the side, and he swung them back and forth with a pleasant smile on his face. Within his small grip, he held a steaming mug of jasmine tea, as his brother did beside him._

_They had an hour or so before Itachi had to leave for another mission, and, as had become custom between the two on mornings, they had decided to spend this time together. Their parents were never awake this early, so it was an opportunity to be alone._

_Of course, Itachi had woken first. He always did. He had prepared a pot of jasmine tea, the only sweet his brother liked, and then the two could enjoy one another's company before the next ANBU mission._

_As they sat beside each other, Sasuke lifted the mug to his lips and blew softly on the surface of the liquid, before taking a careful sip. As he lowered the tea, the little boy let his large black eyes wander around the yard, but he furrowed his brow when his gaze fell upon the Uchiha crest on the wall encompassing the yard._

"_Nii-san," the boy glanced up at his older brother._

"_Yes, Sasuke?" Itachi lowered his eyes to him with a relaxed smile. The older boy was currently lounging back on the porch, his mug of tea resting on the porch beside him, and his arms extended behind him, his support resting on his palms. He looked much more peaceful than he did during the day, something Sasuke had begun to notice about his older brother, and which had led him to determine that mornings were his favorite time of day._

"_What do the colors mean?" the younger boy asked as he pointed across the yard to the crest._

_Following his brother's gaze, Itachi rested his eyes on the symbol, and the smile slowly faded from the corners of his mouth. "Well," he pushed his hands away from the porch and straightened in his sitting position. "Firstly, the white signifies perfection and precision. The-"_

"_Like, in fighting?" Sasuke interrupted, his black eyes curious._

_Itachi's smile returned, and he nodded his head. "Exactly."_

"_You've mastered that, then!" his younger brother told him with an excited smile. "You're perfect at everything, Nii-san!" Before Itachi could respond, Sasuke pressed, "What about the red?"_

"_The red represents sacrifice and power," Itachi informed him. "As in the power to protect, or the willingness to sacrifice everything for that which means most to you."_

"_You're really powerful, too, Nii-san!" Sasuke grinned. "You're the perfect Uchiha!"_

"_Ah," Itachi held up his forefinger. "But you're forgetting the blue."_

"_The blue?" Sasuke titled his head to one side in confusion. "But, the fan only has red and white."_

"_Yes, but it's often set against the color blue, and blue also symbolizes something," his older brother told him._

"_Ohh," the little boy's eyes widened. "What does it symbolize?"_

"_The blue offsets both, and it stands for composure…as well as peace," Itachi replied, his expression falling to a more solemn one._

"_Oh, but you have that, too!" Sasuke told his brother excitedly as he tugged on Itachi's sleeve. "So, see? You _are_ the perfect Uchiha!"_

_Itachi laughed, patting his little brother on the head as he allowed, "I guess you were right."_

_The child beamed at this, turning his large black eyes to rest on the crest once more. A grin was now plastered across his face as he lifted his tea and took another sip. He swung his little legs back and forth happily. After a moment, he glanced back over at his brother, who was staring up at the sky with a distant expression, and Sasuke tapped him on the shoulder to grab his attention._

"_Guess what, Nii-san?"_

"_What?" Itachi focused his dark eyes on his brother._

"_Blue's my favorite color," Sasuke stated._

_Itachi stared down at him in silence a moment, until, gradually, a smile returned to his expression, and he told his little brother, "I'm glad. Many Uchiha forget the blue."_

"_I won't forget, Nii-san," the child assured him, his smile turning confident._

…

Sasuke slammed his foot in the water, causing a ripple that distorted his reflection, and he tore his eyes away from the water to bring it back to his surroundings. He was shocked to find that they were now mere yards from a large island, upon which rose several small cliffs. He could spot a clear path to the hideout door.

At this, the young Uchiha rolled his eyes. Sure, getting to the place was complicated enough, but if someone actually managed to find the place, the entrance was so obvious. These idiots did not plan well at all. But then, he already knew _that_. After all, they made it up as they went along.

As if noticing his change in demeanor, Kabuto began an explanation, "I believe you're really going to like this place, Sasuke-kun. There will be more experiments here, but only down certain hallways, and I'm sure you'll be able to avoid them soon enough, once you get a feel for the place. As you know, the training area isn't fortified, but I'm going to talk to the jailer here about that, so, the next time we come, there will be a lovely place for practicing. Until then, you and Orochimaru-sama can just train outside. The fresh air will be good for you."

"Kabuto," Orochimaru smiled at his assistant. "You think of everything, don't you?"

Sasuke offered them no response. He merely kept his gaze fixed on the island, studying it with his eyes, wondering if they could possibly make a hideout entrance more overt.

* * *

Waves crashed against the rock. The blue sky was fading to an orange hue, which was reflected against the water, and cast a deep amber color over everything it touched. He was sitting atop the rock, one leg dangling over the edge, and the other propped up, so that his arm rested upon his knee. He stared out across the ocean, glad to be free of those idiots for the rest of the day.

After reaching the hideout, Kabuto had introduced him to the jailer, someone whose name Sasuke had overlooked. It was not as though he mattered. And then, of course, the Genin had prepared dinner, which the young Uchiha had promptly decided to avoid, settling for a bowl of ramen, as usual. He had been shown to his room, and then Orochimaru had informed him that they would begin training the following day.

Which, ironically, was a Wednesday.

Sasuke had decided to take the opportunity to be alone, and to be away from a cold, stone room. He had wandered outside and found a perfect spot to sit in peace. Putting up with these two would be worth it, in the end, when he had gained the power he needed, and when he had finally fulfilled his promise of revenge. Then, all this patience would pay off. When he was looking down at Uchiha Itachi's lifeless body, when that bastard had finally paid for what he had done, then all this tolerance of these two idiots would be laughable.

As the Uchiha stared out across the waves, at the ocean, and at the thought of his brother, a particular memory began to surface, forcing its way to the forefront of his mind. Lowering his head a fraction and releasing a quiet sigh, Sasuke let the memory take hold of him…

…

"_Why didn't Tou-san come?" a small child asked, his large black eyes wide in curiosity as he stared up at his mother, who was busying herself with unpacking the picnic basket._

"_Oh, he doesn't like the beach very much," Mikoto informed him with a pleasant smile. "I figured it would be easier if he didn't have to come along. You know how grumpy he gets when he doesn't want to do something."_

_Sasuke jutted out his lower lip in a pout, but he was immediately pulled from any melancholy mindset when his older brother patted him atop the head._

"_Come on, Sasuke," Itachi instructed. "I'll race you to the shoreline."_

"_Okay!" the child hopped to his feet instantly and scampered away from his mother, trailing behind his older brother as the two ran across the sand. With an excited smile, the boy realized he was falling into step with Itachi, and he exclaimed, "I'm going to beat you, Nii-san!"_

_When he found himself falling behind again, a look of determination overtook the boy's features, and he quickened his pace as fast as he could. He plunged into the water some seconds before his older brother, and he let himself fall to the ground in a dramatic heap, as the tide washed over him._

"_Good job, Sasuke," Itachi fell to the ground beside him with a laugh, spreading his arms out beside him and staring up at the clear, blue sky._

"_Hey, Nii-san!" Sasuke shot up immediately and jumped on top of his brother. "We should build a sandcastle!"_

"_Alright," Itachi nodded. "Just a minute."_

_Sasuke grinned at the prospect, scrambling to his feet in a hurry, but he tripped in the water. He fell with a sudden thud, and he was too shocked at first to register, but when he did, he frowned down at the water and kicked it with his foot. He rubbed his hand against his sore backside._

"_Are you okay?" Itachi asked, sitting up and looking over his little brother._

"_No," the boy replied with a pout. "Stupid water."_

"_Oh, don't blame the water," his older brother shook his head at him. "It was just doing what it always does."_

"_Well…," the child's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Whose fault was it?"_

"_Sometimes, it's no one's fault," Itachi stated with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "The blame can't really be placed on anyone, it's just one of those things that happened."_

"_Oh," Sasuke lowered his dark eyes to the water beneath him. "So, it wasn't the water's fault?"_

"_No," Itachi replied._

_The little boy lowered his hand and patted it against the surface of the receding tide. "Sorry, water."_

"_There you go," Itachi smiled, before rising to his feet and offering his hand to help his little brother. Sasuke accepted it, and the older Uchiha then led the way back a few feet until they were once again on dry sand. "How big should we make the castle?" he glanced down at his little brother with questioning eyes._

"_Hmm…," Sasuke released his brother's hand and then began walking in a large circle. He lowered his tiny finger to the ground and began drawing a line in the sand. When he completed the circle once more, he walked back to his older brother and told him, "This big!"_

"_Alright," Itachi nodded. "I'll go get the shovels and buckets from Kaa-san. You wait here."_

"_Okay, Nii-san," Sasuke grinned, taking a seat on the ground and letting his curious eyes dart around the beach. He glanced at the seagulls overhead, the large rock formation to his right, the different families spread out across the shoreline. One family in particular caught his eye, and he tilted his head to one side in confusion, trying to remember why they looked so familiar._

_They were directly to his left, and underneath an umbrella sat an old woman with white hair. Several cats were sprawled out beneath the umbrella with her. However, what caught his attention was not the old lady or the cats, but the little girl who was scampering back and forth between the lady and the shoreline._

"_Sasuke."_

_The child lifted his eyes to find that his brother had returned to his side, and was now kneeling on the sand beside him. As Itachi placed the equipment on the ground, he asked, "What were you looking at?"_

"_Them," Sasuke pointed to his left. "Nii-san, don't they look familiar?"_

_Itachi followed his line of sight, and a smile spread across his face once more. "Yes, they do. That's Nekobaa. You remember her, don't you? She's from the store that sells supplies to our clan."_

"_Ohh!" the boy's eyes brightened with realization. "Well, who's the girl?"_

"_That's Tamaki," his older brother replied. "She was usually there, too. She lives with Nekobaa. She's her granddaughter."_

"_I remember her, now!" Sasuke exclaimed with an excited smile. "She's the one who was always carrying books for Nekobaa, right?"_

"_That's right," Itachi nodded his head, glancing back over at the pair of them. "She looks a little lonely. Perhaps we should invite Tamaki-chan over here to play with us."_

"_But…what about our sand castle?" his little brother pouted. "I thought we were going to make that together, Nii-san."_

"_Oh, we are," Itachi assured him. "But don't you think Tamaki-chan might want to help?"_

"_Well, I guess," Sasuke's eyes wandered to the girl in question. He did not get along with other children very well, especially ones who were his own age, and he and Tamaki had never really talked in the past. He did not want her getting in the way of the day at the beach with his older brother. But, if Itachi wanted to invite her, he probably knew what he was doing._

_Sasuke nodded his head. "Okay, Nii-san."_

_Itachi patted his little brother on the head with a smile, before rising to his feet and walking over to the small group. Sasuke watched in anticipation, deciding that he would just ignore Tamaki if she tried to get in the way. After all, this was time with his big brother, and very soon he would have another mission that would separate him from Sasuke again._

_After a time, Itachi returned, beckoning Tamaki to follow him. She held one hand to her mouth nervously, and the other was curled in a fist at her side._

_As he took a seat in the sand beside his brother, Itachi said, "Tamaki-chan, you remember Sasuke, don't you?"_

_The brunette nodded her head._

"_Sasuke," Itachi lowered his gaze to his little brother. "You remember Tamaki-chan?"_

"_Yes," Sasuke replied, bringing his eyes to rest on the girl once more. "Hello, Tamaki."_

"_Hi, Sasuke," she nodded her head in greeting, glancing between the two brothers nervously._

_Sasuke furrowed his brow at this, looking to his brother first, before returning his gaze to the girl. "What's the matter?"_

"_Oh…nothing," Tamaki shook her head, her eyes falling to the sand._

"_Okay," Sasuke shrugged. "Then, sit down."_

_The girl lifted her brown eyes to meet his gaze, before nodding her head and falling to a sitting position in the sand._

"_Do you know how to make sandcastles?" the young Uchiha awarded her a skeptical look. "Because Nii-san is fantastic, and I'm learning from him, so I'm pretty good, too."_

_Tamaki managed a nervous smile. "Yes, I make them whenever Oba-sama takes me here."_

_The little boy nodded his head in approval, taking a small shovel from the pile and handing it to her. "Good. Then, we're going to make the best sandcastle ever! Right, Nii-san?"_

"_That's right, Sasuke," Itachi agreed, glancing between the two with a somewhat amused smile._

_As it happened, Tamaki ended up spending the day with them. After they had finished the sandcastle, their mother invited her to eat lunch with them, and, when Nekobaa decided to go home, Mikoto prolonged the invitation, offering to take Tamaki home when she and her sons left for the day. The Old Lady agreed, and, before long, Mikoto and Itachi decided that they should spend the entire day at the beach. While their mother left to buy something for dinner from one of the shops, she left Itachi to babysit, and he took the opportunity to lie down and take a nap._

_It was sunset, now, and an orange hue painted the landscape. The sun was slowly descending below the horizon, half of it already covered by the sea, as Sasuke sat beside his older brother's sleeping form. He hugged his legs to his chest and rested his chin atop his knees. Beside him, Tamaki was playing absently in the sand, sprawled out on her stomach._

"_Tamaki," Sasuke addressed the girl._

"_Yes?" Tamaki lifted her head to look up at the Uchiha._

"_Do you have many friends?" the boy asked._

_The brunette titled her head to one side in curiosity at this question, before offering a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Not really," she replied. "Oba-sama always tells me I'm too shy, that I read too much, and that's why I don't have any. I also spend most of my time in her shop, so I don't really meet many people. You and Itachi-senpai are the only ones close to my age that I know."_

_Sasuke nodded his head slowly, lowering his black eyes to the ground._

"_Why?" Tamaki cocked her head to one side. "Do you have many friends?"_

_The boy did not respond for a moment, proceeding to simply let his stare wander from the ground to the sunset in front of him, before bringing it to rest on his brother. "I don't have any," he replied._

"_Why not?" Tamaki pressed, her brown eyes widening in curiosity._

"_I don't get along with a lot of people," Sasuke confessed, lowering one of his hands and digging his fingers in the sand. "Kaa-san says it's because I'm more reserved, like Nii-san, but Tou-san says it's because I'm selfish."_

"_Well," Tamaki shrugged her shoulders, "you might be a little selfish. But, I think everyone is, in one way or another."_

"_Isn't being selfish…bad?" Sasuke lifted his eyes to Tamaki, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Aren't you supposed to be selfless, giving yourself for other people, instead of picking and choosing the people you want, and then ignoring the people you don't like?"_

"_But aren't you also supposed to be smart about choosing friends?" Tamaki pointed out. "I mean…you wouldn't want to be friends with someone mean. And, if you're friends with someone who's annoying, it'll just make you mean, and that's not good, either."_

_The young Uchiha released a sigh. "I think a lot of people are annoying, though. Or, I'm just not interested in them. The only people I want to spend time with are Nii-san, Kaa-san, Tou-san, and Shisui-san. And sometimes uncle, when auntie isn't around. I don't ever feel like I need any more friends than that. But…other kids I see…they have lots of friends. Are we supposed to be like that?"_

"_I don't know," Tamaki shrugged her shoulders. "I think everyone's different, though. I don't have a lot of friends. In fact…I probably don't really have any, either."_

"_Does that mean something's wrong with us?" Sasuke wondered aloud._

_Tamaki considered the question in silence, tapping her finger against her chin. With a slight shake of her head, she rolled over onto her back and stared up at the amber sky with a smile. "No, I don't think so. I don't think there's anything wrong with being different."_

"_Are you sure?" the boy beside Tamaki gave her a suspicious look._

"_No," she shrugged. "But I'm just guessing. I think everyone can have a different opinion. That's mine."_

_Sasuke watched the girl in silence a moment, before nodding his head with a small smile. "Alright, Tamaki," he told her. "That's going to be my opinion, too. Because I don't think there's anything wrong with you, and you don't have any friends, either."_

_Tamaki glanced over at Sasuke and nodded her head. "I don't think there's anything wrong with you, either, so I guess we're both okay."_

_The girl then returned her brown eyes to the sky, watching the dark orange slowly deepen, and Sasuke followed her example. However, he rested his black eyes on the sun, which he stared at in silence until it had all but completely vanished below the horizon. Stars were beginning to emerge from the ever-darkening sky, and their reflections twinkled in the sea beneath them._

"_Tamaki."_

_The girl turned her head only slightly to glance over at the young Uchiha, as she asked, "Yes?"_

_Sasuke hesitated a moment, his eyes still fixed in front of him, before he forced out in quiet undertone, "What if…we were friends?"_

"_I wouldn't mind that," Tamaki told him, a sheepish smile forming. "Actually, I think I'd like it."_

"_Really?"_

"_Really."_

_Sasuke deliberated a moment, before finally turning his dark gaze from the ocean to instead rest it on the girl beside him. Lifting his hand from its repetitive digging in the sand, he offered it to her as he asked, "Friends?"_

_Lifting herself to a sitting position, Tamaki took his hand and shook it, with the same smile. "Friends."_

_A small smile found its way to the corner of the young Uchiha's mouth, and he quickly took his hand back and wrapped it around his knees once more. He titled his head to rest the side of his face against his arms, as he returned his onyx gaze to the crashing of the waves in front of him. When he felt a stirring behind him, Sasuke's smile widened, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Itachi slowly opening his eyes._

"_Nii-san!" he exclaimed._

"_Sasuke," his older brother offered him a tired smile in greeting. Turning on his side to get a better view of the two children in front of him, Itachi asked, "Are you behaving?"_

"_Of course," Sasuke nodded his head. Glancing over at Tamaki briefly, he then returned his gaze to his older brother and said, "Guess what, Nii-san?"_

"_What?" Itachi asked curiously._

"_Tamaki and I are friends," Sasuke informed him._

"_Oh, really?" Itachi glanced between the two, and then smiled. "Tamaki, did you know you're Sasuke's first friend?"_

"_I know, he told me," Tamaki nodded her head. "He's mine, too, though. Unless you count cats."_

"_Cats are pets," Sasuke shook his head in disagreement. "Pets don't count. Right, Nii-san?"_

"_That's right," Itachi replied with a light laugh. His eyes rested on his little brother once more, and he lifted his hand to playfully poke Sasuke on the forehead. "Well, I'm glad you two are getting along so well."_

_Sasuke's eyes widened in a start at first, but then he lowered his head with a sheepish smile._

"_Is Kaa-san not back yet?" Itachi asked, lifting himself to a sitting position and then scanning the area with his eyes._

"_Not yet," Sasuke shook his head._

_When their mother did return, she surprised them with rice balls. She had bought kelp for Itachi, and the bonito for Sasuke. She and Tamaki took a few of each. As the dinner progressed, Itachi informed his mother of the friendship Sasuke had formed, and Mikoto grew very excited and spent most of the meal conversing with Tamaki._

_As this ensued, Sasuke released a yawn and leaned his head against his older brother's shoulder. _

"_Nii-san…"_

_Itachi glanced back down at him, his black eyes curious. "What is it, Sasuke?"_

"_If I have friends, does it mean I'll get to spend less time with you?" his little brother asked._

"_No," Itachi shook his head, wrapping an arm around the boy and pulling him into his lap. "Of course not. I'm friends with Shisui, aren't I? Do I have less time for you?"_

"_I guess not," Sasuke answered, but he still looked unconvinced. "You don't have very many friends, though, do you?"_

"_No, I suppose not," the older Uchiha replied._

"_I don't want too many friends, either," Sasuke decided with a firm nod of his head. "I don't want them to get in the way, because I want to spend more time with you."_

"_A few friends won't get in the way," Itachi told him._

_The boy paused a moment, biting his bottom lip, before glancing back up at his older brother. "Promise?"_

"_Promise."_

…

The dark waters crashed against the rock, and Sasuke fell onto his back, his black eyes fixed on the stars in the sky overhead. Some twinkled brightly, others were dimmer. He pressed his eyes shut and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the ocean, as he ran a hand gently along the hard surface of the rock.

Uchiha Itachi's lifeless body.

That was what gave him the patience to deal with Kabuto and Orochimaru. The thought of killing his older brother kept him going, it kept forcing him to get up every morning, to undergo rigorous training, to become stronger. It was the only reason he was even here. It was the reason he had left Konoha behind, had left Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, Sakura.

But then, if that was the case, why was it that every time he thought back, to his time with his brother, it made the mere thought of killing the man a horrible prospect? A seemingly impossible feat? How was it that, for all those years, his brother had been lying to him, had been acting a role, all for the sake of testing his ability? Had all of it been a lie?

Sasuke shook his head of the thought, turning over on his stomach and burying his face in his arms. Itachi said it had been a lie. That he had merely acted the role of the brother he wanted. And all evidence pointed to this, after that all too familiar night. There was no denying it.

But then…why did it feel like there was something more? Something he was missing?

Oh, whatever. That man was a heartless bastard. No matter what he remembered of him, that was what Uchiha Itachi was today. He was the murderer of their clan. The murderer of their parents. On sight, he had beaten Sasuke within an inch of his life and placed him in a coma. That was the man his brother really was.

Sasuke let these thoughts fester in his mind, and he felt himself slowly slipping from consciousness. He did not bother to fight the urge. Falling asleep out here and falling asleep inside that cold room Kabuto had shown him would not make much of a difference. In fact, this was even preferable. At least it was not freezing out here, and the rock was about as comfy as that bed would be.

As his consciousness slipped, he remembered something interesting his brother had once told him, that when you fall asleep, the person you are thinking of is the person you dream about. A tired smile formed at the corner of his mouth. Perhaps he would dream of killing his brother and finally getting vengeance for his clan.

However, at the last moment before he fell into blackness, a small thought emerged at the back of his mind.

'I wonder where Tamaki is right now…?'


	8. The Result of Forgetfulness

**A/N: Thanks to all followers, favoriters and reviewers. Again, be sure to read The. Teal. Rose's "Illusions of Serenity" and Lehrain's "Vigil of Sorrows." Enjoy the next chapter.**

* * *

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter VIII

"The Result of Forgetfulness"

…

"Ahh, Kabuto! You've returned."

"I have," the Genin glanced over at Orochimaru with a smile, his arms full of groceries, which he set on the kitchen counter. It was currently early afternoon, and Sasuke and Orochimaru had decided to take a break from training for lunch, which Kabuto was supposed to cook. Of course, Sasuke was planning to make his own lunch, but that was beside the point. It was a lunch break, nonetheless.

"You acquired all the necessary ingredients, I trust?" the Sannin was asking him.

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto told him with a proud grin. "You gave me that list, after all."

"Kabuto," Orochimaru smiled fondly. "I can always count on you."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the exchange of compliments, before focusing his onyx gaze on pile that had been set on the counter. As he perused through it with his eyes, he arched a curious brow and then brought his stare back to the smiling Genin. "Did you manage to get _anything_ on my list?"

"Oh," Kabuto's eyes widened at this, and he ran his hands down his attire, checking his pockets. "Um…your list…," he muttered to himself, looking about him in perplexity, and then he slid his hand over the surface of the fridge. "Ah! There it is!"

The older ninja shook his head, with a clearly impressed smile in place, "You always do manage to find everything."

Find everything? He would not need to find _anything_ if he had not lost it in the first place! Wait…lost it?

"You didn't even take the list with you?" Sasuke asked, his eyes narrowing into a glare.

"I must have forgotten it," Kabuto informed him.

The young Uchiha snapped to his feet and crossed the kitchen, inspecting the assortment of groceries with his eyes. He could feel the anger rising in him as he scanned over the contents, realizing that not a single thing he had requested was amidst this pile. Just sweets, some herbs, more eggs, fruit, vegetables, and some kind of beans. He rounded on the older Genin with a scowl.

"Of _course_ you forgot it!" he snapped. "You forget everything! You're such an idiot!"

"Now, now, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru chided him with a shake of his head. "Kabuto is not an idiot. No need to let your temper get the best of you simply because you're so picky."

"You're picky, too!" Sasuke rounded on the Snake Master in a fluster. "He just happened to get everything you want! I'm sure you'd be pretty pissed off if he forgot _your_ list!"

"You're very grumpy today," the Genin mused behind him. "It's not even morning."

Sasuke felt his eye twitch, and he focused his glare on Kabuto once more. "That's it!" he snapped, snatching the list out of the medical ninja's hands and storming toward the door. "I'm going to the store myself this time, because, _obviously_, you can't even manage _that_."

"He's throwing a bit of a tantrum, isn't he, Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto mused in an undertone.

"Kabuto, your powers of deduction astound me," the man told him.

'I…I swear, I'm going crazy,' Sasuke thought in wonderment, his black stare fixed on the door in front of him, and he could feel his eye twitching again. 'That's all there is to it. I'm losing my mind. These two are driving me insane!'

He leaned forward in frustration, resting his forehead against the door and trying his best to ignore the two idiots behind him. He tried to calm himself, taking slow intakes of breath, and he tightened his grip around the list in his hand. Go to the store himself, huh? How was he supposed to do that? He did not even know where it was! Why was he behaving so irrationally? He needed to get his mind back on track, he could not let them affect him like this. He needed to have his wits about him if he ever expected to defeat Itachi.

"Sasuke-kun."

The boy held back the heavy sigh that threatened in his throat, lifting his head and turning around to face Orochimaru, who had called his name. "What?" he asked dryly.

"If you really want everything on that list, we'll just send Kabuto back to the store," the Sannin told him with a pleasant smile.

Send Kabuto to the store. After he had already forgotten the list once. And even if he did manage to remember the list this time, which was doubtful, would he remember to look at it? And even then, would he get everything on it, or would he overlook some of the items, assuming he had already grabbed them? This was a very poor plan, indeed. Then again, it was not as though Kabuto's plans were ever much better.

"Kabuto," Orochimaru glanced back at his assistant, "take Sasuke-kun's list, and go back to the store, won't you?"

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto nodded, a smile forming as he walked over to the young Uchiha. "May I have the list, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I'm coming with you this time."

"That won't be necessary, Sasuke-kun," the Genin chuckled, holding out his hand forcefully. "The list."

"_I_ think it's necessary," the Uchiha informed him dryly, focusing his glare on the man, and Kabuto took a step back in a sudden start. "I'm coming with you, and that's final."

"Kabuto, I believe the child should accompany you," Orochimaru stated. "After all, he's been cooped up here training all day. In fact, he's done nothing but train and travel since he joined us."

"Ah, that's very true, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto realized. "He probably needs a bit of fresh air and a good stretch of the legs. It will probably do him some good. You know, it's no wonder he's so grouchy."

"Oh, Kabuto," the Snake Sannin smiled at him fondly once more, "I never have any cause to doubt your reasoning, do I?"

"Ugh, let's just go!" Sasuke snapped, sick to his stomach of the two exchanging compliments, and he pulled the kitchen door open, nearly slamming it in Kabuto's face in the process and then trudging down the hall. He buried his hands in his pockets, along with the list, and was soon joined by the older Genin.

"What is it exactly that's on this list of yours?" Kabuto focused his eyes on the boy with his usual pleasant smile. Pleasantly condescending, that is.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, not even turning to face the man beside him. "If you had bothered to look, you wouldn't need to be asking."

"Sasuke-kun, I'm starting to get the feeling you don't appreciate all the work I put into our company," the older shinobi mused, and, at this, Sasuke turned his black eyes to award the man a particularly arrogant expression.

"You're just _now_ getting that?" the Uchiha drawled.

"Yes, and I think you're gravely mistaken," Kabuto stated matter-of-factly, as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You see, I'm in charge of all the paperwork, which is clearly beneath Orochimaru-sama to need to worry over, the planning, managing these hideouts and keeping them well-supplied, all medical procedures, overseeing experiments, writing up the reports, providing and repairing the appropriate clothing to all the jailers, cooking-"

Sasuke cut him off with a chuckle, and Kabuto stared at the boy in bewilderment.

"Sounds like your Orochimaru-_sama_ has you whipped," Sasuke noted, clearly amused.

"Do not be absurd, Sasuke-kun," the Genin waved his words away. "He values my ability to coordinate all of this. After all, he constantly informs me that I'm the only one who could do it."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted again.

"Don't give me that," Kabuto awarded him a chastising look. "But, back to…oh, what was I saying? See, now you've made me forget."

"You don't need _me_ to help you with that," the Uchiha remarked dryly.

"Oh, yes!" the medic smiled. "Now I remember. You see, Sasuke-kun, I overlook all of that, and Orochimaru-sama is clearly the mastermind. He oversees everything, and I report to him. He's the one conducting the experiments, the one whose genius is behind it all, and, without whom, I would not even know what was needed for all this."

Sasuke stared up at him dully, quite certain that if he heard one more word of praise from these two men about each other, he would bash his head against the nearest wall. "What is your _point_, Kabuto?" he demanded.

"My _point_ is that both Orochimaru-sama and I are very important to this organization, and we both have very pressing duties," the Genin explained. "And you need to be more appreciative of this, because you clearly do absolutely nothing for us. If anything, you take away Orochimaru-sama's time, which could be spent conducting more experiments."

"I don't give a damn about any of that," Sasuke told him dryly. "I didn't come here because I believe in any of the shit you or your master stand for, I came here to obtain power."

Kabuto heaved a sigh, lifting his eyes to the ceiling in a melodramatic manner.

The young Uchiha narrowed his eyes into a glare but made no further comment. He was tired of listening to Kabuto, and he certainly did not need a lecture from this moron about how to properly conduct himself when with Orochimaru, of all people. He owed the man nothing. Orochimaru had approached _him_, come to _him_ offering power. All he had done was accept the offer. If he was hindering some sort of research, as the idiot beside him so clearly believed, then it was the Sannin's own damn fault. Kabuto should be taking it up with Orochimaru, not him.

"You're such an ungrateful young man," Kabuto was musing to himself.

Something about the way Kabuto said it, something behind the words, spoken so blatant and offhandedly, sparked something in the Uchiha, and he found it took all his force of will not to lash out at the imbecile. He could feel his hands shaking angrily in his pockets, but he buried them deeper and faced away from him. It took a moment, but when he managed to place the particular feeling, he was actually a little surprised at it.

His aunt.

The way Kabuto had said it, and perhaps even the words themselves, reminded Sasuke of his aunt. She had been a self-righteous, meddlesome little nuisance, too. She could never possibly be at fault—not in her own eyes, at least—and she took praise with the same, self-satisfied expression as this moron. She would never hesitate to lecture him any opportunity she had. For that matter, she lectured _everyone_. If one could even call that lecturing. It was more like complaining. But she always seemed to find something especially wrong with him.

And, almost as much as his father, she would compare his eternally inadequate achievements to those of his older brother.

Sasuke scowled at this thought, a sudden feeling of inferiority rising in his chest, as he trailed through the dark hallways. He had always been beneath his brother. He had been reminded of this constantly. Uchiha Itachi was the great prodigy, the treasure among their clan, the boast of their father.

And what was Sasuke?

The great prodigy's little brother.

His own father had viewed him in this light. He was never quite good enough, never quite as good as Itachi. If he made a mistake, he was compared to his brother, in that Itachi would have never made such a mistake.

"_As I thought. You can't do it as well as Itachi could."_

If he managed to accomplish anything, he was compared to his brother, either because the accomplishment was not quite as adequate as it would have been if it was Itachi's, or, if it was, because he was clearly following in his older brother footsteps.

"_Become a fine ninja like your brother."_

"_You can become a fine ninja like Itachi one day."_

"_Continue at this pace and become a fine ninja like your brother."_

It was always _like his brother_. He had never been worthy of any praise in his own right. His instructors at the Academy, his clan, his aunt, and even his own father—they had all looked at him as nothing more than a shadow of his older brother. And, because he was a mere shadow, he was so easily forgotten…

…

_He had been attending the Academy for about a month, now. Mikoto had been the one who came by every day to pick him up and walk him home, and she made it her duty to be prompt. She enjoyed laughing with the other parents, boasting over her son, who always had top marks in the class, and, of course, offering any praise for the other children. That was the type of person she was, after all._

_However, on this particular day, his mother was busy. She had an errand to run, and she had told him that morning that his father would be the one to walk home with him. Sasuke was excited at the prospect, as it would be an opportunity for his father to see him at the Academy, to see how well he was doing, to hear the other parents and perhaps even the instructors to speak their praises of him._

_The boy smiled, tightening his hold on his book bag, as he swung his small legs back and forth at his desk. Maybe his father would see he was different than Itachi, that he was also a son for whom he could be proud._

_His dark eyes wandered out the window, where he saw the other children rushing out of the building, greeting their parents with wide grins. He kept his gaze attentive, scooting forward on the edge of his seat to get a better view of the grounds, but he did not see his father._

'_He might have been caught up with business for the Police Squad,' the young Uchiha thought to himself. 'He's probably just running late.'_

_As he continued to watch, however, as the throngs of people slowly diminished, as, one by one, each and every student found their parent and left the school, the man he was waiting for still did not emerge. Sasuke furrowed his brow, leaning back in his desk, but he kept his hopeful stare on the window. The clock hanging over the doorway continued its incessant ticking. With nothing to do, he found himself slowly counting the seconds as they ticked away._

_Still, his father did not appear._

_He noticed several of the teachers standing at the front of the Academy, laughing amongst themselves over some intangible concept, and he watched as they crossed the school grounds and then disappeared from sight. The child leaned back in his seat, realizing that even the teachers had left for the day. Was his father's business really taking that long?_

_Suddenly, an idea came to him, and the boy's face brightened. Since his father was late, he could head out back and practice his shuriken training. That way, when his father did arrive, he would see how hard he was working, and then he would not even need to worry about having been so late because Sasuke had been busy as well._

_Rising to his feet and hurrying out of the classroom, he shut the door behind him and then made his way down the hall, to the back door. He pushed it open and let his eyes wander over the yard. It was completely deserted. It felt strange, now that the school was empty. He was so used to it being a place filled with noisy classmates, with yelling, with teachers shouting instructions. Now that it was quiet, it felt foreign. And, in a way, peaceful. The boy smiled at the thought, taking a handful of shuriken from his bag and crossing the yard._

_He placed his feet firmly in the ground, his black eyes fixed on the targets in front of him, and he drew a slow intake of breath. He closed his eyes only for a moment, to recall what his brother had told him, about the proper stance and execution, and, his eyes snapping open, he threw the shuriken._

_It landed directly in the center of the target._

_Sasuke nodded his head in determination, readying the next weapon in his hand. He took care to steady his breathing, before tossing it at the target as well. It landed slightly off-center, but still within the target. The boy tightened his grip, lifting his eyes to a higher circle and making it his new target._

_He continued in like manner until he realized the sun was getting rather low in the sky. Glancing around him, he realized his father had still not arrived. But then, maybe he was in front of the school. Maybe he was worried because he could not find his son. Sasuke had not meant to make him wait._

_After retrieving his shuriken from the wall, Sasuke rushed back into the school building, making sure to close the back door behind him, and then hurrying down the long hallway. When he reached the front door, he pushed it open and shut it, before running across the grounds. He searched the expanse, his dark eyes wandering in every direction, but he could not seem to catch any glimpses of the man who was supposed to pick him up. He hurried forward, coming to a stop beside the large tree, in the hopes that looking at the school from a different angle would suddenly make his father manifest into being._

_But Uchiha Fugaku was nowhere in sight._

'_Tou-san…isn't coming,' he realized, and his head fell in disappointment. Suddenly, he found himself wishing that his mother had never arranged for his father to pick him up. He wished his mother had not been busy today. She would have been early, waiting outside the front doors the moment class let out, waving at him with her kind smile and trying to get him to make friends with the other students. Instead, he found himself, once again, faced with his father's negligence._

"_Um…Sasuke-kun?"_

_The young Uchiha lifted his head, and turned to glance beside him, where he realized a young girl was sitting on the swing. He had not noticed her before. She had short, rose-colored hair, with a dark magenta ribbon, and her teal eyes stared up at him in concern. Who was she? He could not remember her face. Did she even go to the Academy? What was she doing out here?_

"_Do I know you?" was all he asked amidst his confusion._

"_N-no," the girl stumbled over words. "Well, sort of. We're in the same class together."_

_Were they? He could not seem to remember her. But then, he did not pay much attention to anyone in his class, his focus set on his schoolwork. Even so, a girl with pink hair should have stood out. But then, she had no reason to lie about being his classmate, so she must be telling the truth._

_He therefore proceeded to nod his head, and returned to glancing around him once more. It seemed as though he would have to walk home on his own. If he had known, he would have left earlier, because it would be getting dark soon._

"_I think it's fantastic how talented you are!" the girl beside him continued. "Where did you learn to throw kunais like that?"_

_Sasuke brought his onyx gaze to rest on her once more, taking in her curious expression, before returning his stare to the Academy entrance. "My brother," he answered._

_Not that he could even compare to his brother. Itachi was much better with kunais than him. Better than anyone, probably._

"_Really?" the girl on the swing asked. "He must be a very good teacher."_

_He was. Now that he thought of it, he wished his mother had sent Itachi to pick him up instead of their father. His brother would not have forgotten him, and he would not need to walk home alone in the dark._

_Even as he thought this, though, he noticed a figure walking around the corner of the school. It took him a moment, but when he took in the long hair, the kind smile, the distinct lines running down his cheeks, Sasuke's entire face lit up._

"_Nii-san!"_

_He ran to the man immediately and threw his arms around him, pulling him into a hug._

"_Sasuke," Itachi smiled back, though Sasuke could detect there was something else behind it. There was a certain sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry I'm late. Tou-san just told me."_

"_It's okay, Nii-san," Sasuke shook his head, happy at the prospect of seeing his brother. "Tou-san's busy, right?"_

_His older brother released a sigh, "Yes."_

"_So, he sent you to come get me!" the young Uchiha pulled out of the hug to grab his brother's hand._

_Itachi hesitated a moment, before offering a slight shrug of his shoulders. "More or less."_

_As they walked away from the schoolyard and onto the road, the child's eyes widened suddenly. "Nii-san, aren't you supposed to be on a mission today?"_

"_Well," Itachi glanced back down at Sasuke, and the smile returned, "I couldn't let my little brother walk home alone, could I?"_

"_But…," Sasuke's eyes fell to the ground, "isn't the mission important?"_

"_Perhaps."_

_There was a silent pause between the two, but it was broken when Itachi poked his little brother on the forehead. As Sasuke's dark gaze shot up to meet the older boy's once more, he realized the kind smile was still in place._

_Itachi gave his brother a pointed look. "I had something more important to do."_

…

When they had returned home, their father had scolded Itachi for not completing his ANBU mission, for ignoring his assignment, and he had cast his displeased eyes on his younger son. As it was, Itachi would not have abandoned his duties if not for his little brother. Clearly, the mission, his oldest son's success, had been more important to Fugaku than remembering his younger son.

"What do you think, Sasuke-kun?"

"What?" Sasuke's black eyes snapped up from the ground, and he realized he was no longer standing in the dark hallway. Rather, he was standing outside, and he could hear the crashing of waves. He was not sure what the hell Kabuto was asking, but, although he would never admit it to the imbecile, he was a little grateful that he had called him out his reverie before they started walking across the water.

"The design," Kabuto replied, staring down at him in confusion. "The one I was just talking about."

"Huh," Sasuke considered the matter, before proceeding to shrug his shoulders. "I wasn't listening."

The older Genin tsked the boy, pushing his glasses up the brim of his nose as he remarked, "You really should pay more attention, Sasuke-kun. This is _your_ outfit, after all."

"Just repeat whatever you said about it," the Uchiha urged him in a disinterested tone.

"Very well," Kabuto nodded. "I was actually trying to show you the design itself. Look," at this, the man opened a small book he was carrying, and Sasuke focused his black eyes on the drawing.

Well, one could say whatever negative commentary they wanted about Kabuto, but he did have _one_ talent. He could draw. In surprisingly good detail. Not that the drawing itself was any good. In fact, it was one of the worst designs Sasuke had seen yet, and he let this show through annoyance on his features.

"You can't be serious," he drawled.

"Oh, come now, Sasuke-kun," the Genin looked disappointed. "I thought for sure you would like this one. I designed it specifically with you in mind."

"That's just a vest!" Sasuke gave the man a look of bewilderment. "And barely, at that! It wouldn't even reach my midriff!"

"Yes, but that's why I thought it would be so suitable," Kabuto informed him, and, when the Uchiha's expression remained unchanged, he shook his head. "In regards to your power, Sasuke-kun. As I understand it, the cursed seal gives you wings. You'll need something that won't hinder the wings. That way, we won't have to worry about constantly replacing or patching up your shirts."

Even as he said it, he gestured to the blue shirt Sasuke was wearing, and the boy felt the back of it with his hand. He felt the seam where Kabuto had replaced the fabric.

"That…," he lowered his hand and buried it in his pocket once more, "makes sense, I guess."

The man's face brightened in excitement, and he asked, "So, this design?!"

"No!" Sasuke snapped. "Definitely not. You can keep that logic, but come up with something else. Maybe…I don't know, something I can slip off easily?"

"Oh, that might work," Kabuto nodded. "Yes, I like that. I will get to work right away."

"Fine," the Uchiha rolled his eyes, before setting his gaze on the shoreline. "Now, where's the store, exactly?"

* * *

"If you're not going to buy it, stop staring at it," Sasuke found himself telling Kabuto for what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon.

He was standing in the middle of an aisle, a shopping basket in his hand, his list still only half filled, while the idiot Genin contemplated over a purchase of the newest dish soap.

"I've heard it's the best," the man was currently musing, more to himself than the frustrated Uchiha beside him. "But advertisements can be deceiving."

"So, don't get it," Sasuke snapped.

Kabuto turned his eyes to award the boy a dumbfounded look. "Sasuke-kun, what if it really is the best? I'll never know if I don't buy it, will I?"

"It's a marketing scam," Sasuke shot back. "They tell you that so you _will_ buy it. It's all about capital with these people."

"And, is that a fact, or your own speculation?" Kabuto eyed the boy critically.

"It might as well be a fact, because anyone with any sense speculates the same thing," the Uchiha informed him dryly.

"Hmm…," Kabuto returned his eyes to the soap container, lifting it in his hands and looking it over. "But I've heard it's the best…."

"Oh, screw it," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I can't shop with you anymore. You stay here and decide, and I'm going to go do something productive."

He shook his head at the idiot, making his way down the aisle and glancing over his list briefly. What was next? Tea. Now, where would be the tea be? He scanned the rows of aisles with his eyes, before nodding his head when he came to one that looked appropriate. Before he had even walked three feet, however, he heard Kabuto's voice behind him.

"I'm just going to buy it," the Genin informed him as he placed the container in the basket. "If it doesn't work as well as they say, I won't get it next time."

"But we don't need soap," Sasuke drawled. "You _just_ went shopping."

"Yes, but I didn't see this when I came last time," Kabuto explained.

"Whatever," the boy replied in annoyance. "If you have buyer's remorse, don't blame me."

He halted in his steps and let his gaze wander over the options in front of him a moment. When he spotted what he had been searching for, he reached forward and grabbed the box that contained the jasmine tea. After tossing it in the basket, he then turned and left the aisle.

"You didn't stop to look around," Kabuto remarked, as if it was some great offense. "What kind of shopping is that?"

"I hate shopping," Sasuke replied easily, glancing over the list again and then heading toward the produce section.

"Hate shopping?" the Genin tsked the boy with a patronizing smile. "Goodness, Sasuke-kun. You hate quite a few things, don't you?"

Sasuke offered no response. He kept his eyes forward and walked toward his destination.

"I suppose it really is no surprise how hard you are to shop for," Kabuto continued. "I mean, if you hate shopping yourself, then, clearly, the person left with the task will have a difficult job, as well. There must be a few things you don't hate, though. I mean, you already named apples. Anything else?"

Still saying nothing, Sasuke proceeded to hold the list up, and he waved it in the air once, before stowing it back in his pocket.

"Oh, that makes sense," Kabuto stated with a pleasant smile. "May I see the list, Sasuke-kun?"

"No," the boy answered shortly.

"Well, how am I supposed to know what you like?" the Genin asked.

"I already gave you that opportunity," Sasuke reminded him in a dry tone. "You forgot the list. In fact, you didn't even look at it after I gave it to you the first time."

"Sasuke-kun," Kabuto readjusted his glasses, "I do believe I've already informed you of the many tasks I have in this company. That being said, is it any wonder it takes me a little while before I remember some things?"

Sasuke rounded on the man with a glare. "Is it physically _impossible_ for you to admit a mistake?"

"A mistake?" the man stared at him in perplexity.

"Yes, you made a _mistake_," Sasuke stressed the word. "You make a lot of them, actually."

"Oh, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto's condescending smile returned. "How little you know. There really are no mistakes. There are simply things that happen in life, which we can often learn from. One should never look at an action as a mistake, but, rather as an alternate means of doing something."

The Uchiha stared up at the man in silence a moment, before turning his back to him and proceeding forward. He was not going to even award this idiot an answer. Breaking down that ridiculous logic was not even worth the effort. Rather, Sasuke stepped forward and grabbed a bushel of apples, which he proceeded to place in the basket as well. The older shinobi was saying something else behind him, but he had decided to stop listening. He should have done that from the beginning, because listening to Kabuto only wore him out. Was it even possible to be _this_ annoyed by one person?

As he reached for the next item on his list, he was startled into listening, however, because Kabuto was now mere inches from his ear.

"Sasuke-kun, do you like tomatoes?!"

Sasuke shot the man a glare, but he made no further response. He simply placed the tomatoes in a bag, which he set in the basket, as well…

…

"_Sasuke! Don't venture too far."_

_He was standing in an open field with his brother. Itachi was keeping a careful eye on him, a gentle smile in place. In the older boy's hand, he held a collection of flowers. As it was, the two brothers had decided to spend the afternoon picking only the most perfect flowers for their mother's bouquet. It was a gift for her birthday._

_Sasuke turned back to face his older brother and grinned up at him. "I won't, Nii-san," he assured him. "I promise."_

_And with that, he scampered off. A pretty patch of flowers had caught his eye, and he wanted to grab them for the bouquet. As the small child came upon them, he stopped short and knelt down to rip the plants out of the earth. He pulled up each flower with a jerk, down to the root, and he spat when some of the dirt splattered in his face. Nevertheless, he was determined to grab all of them, because they were all so pretty, and his mother needed the prettiest flowers. That was what he and Itachi had agreed upon._

_Suddenly, a striking blue blossom caught his line of sight, and the child hurried to his feet. Looking down at the flower, he let the grin spread across his face again, and he reached down to pluck it up. He tried to be more careful this time, because he did not want to get dirt in his mouth. It had not tasted very good._

"_Sasuke!"_

_He heard his brother calling his name, and he quickly added the blue flower to the pile in his hands. The boy then ran in the direction of the voice, where he found Itachi with a relieved smile. Grinning triumphantly, Sasuke held out his handful of flowers for his brother to see._

_Itachi patted him on the head and then knelt down on the ground, which he beckoned his little brother to do, as well. "Alright," he instructed, "set you flowers next to mine, and we'll arrange them all together."_

_Sasuke nodded his head eagerly as he set his flowers beside his brother's. His large black eyes inspecting the pile, he asked, "Kaa-san is going to love these, right?"_

"_Of course," Itachi nodded, and he began cutting off some of the flower stems, which were too long. He then started arranging them in some manner that was lost to the small boy, and Sasuke let his eyes wander to the discarded pile of stems._

_He cocked his head to one side in curiosity, as he recalled something his brother had once told him, about how tomatoes come from flowers. The child reached forward and lifted the stem in his tiny hand, and he proceeded to inspect it with curious eyes. How did a tomato come from this? He wondered if it tasted any good._

_CRUNCH._

_Well, it was not quite as good as a tomato._

_It was then that he realized his brother had paused to stare at him, and Sasuke turned to gaze up at Itachi innocently, still chewing the bite in his mouth._

"_Sasuke," Itachi sighed, reaching forward and gently removing the stem from his brother's mouth. "That is not meant to be eaten."_

"_It's not?" Sasuke asked, feeling downcast by this news._

"_No," Itachi shook his head, as a smile formed. "It didn't taste any good, right?"_

_Sasuke jutted his lower lip out in a pout. "Hmm," he considered the question. "I guess not. It looked like it might, though."_

"_Flowers are meant to be observed," his older brother explained. "They might look appealing, but that doesn't mean they taste good. Outside appearances can often be deceiving."_

"_Oh," the child dropped his eyes. As if suddenly remembering, he asked, "Well, aren't tomatoes flowers at first? How come _they_ taste good and I can eat them?"_

_With a soft chuckle, Itachi again shook his head at his little brother. "Some flowers turn into fruits or vegetables, but you can't eat them before they change," he informed the child. "You have to know the difference between those types, and the ones that stay the same. It is the only way to not be deceived by their appearance."_

"_So…," Sasuke began, his small mind deep in thought, "there are more types of food that were flowers first? Not just tomatoes?"_

"_Right," Itachi nodded as he held up his index finger. "Such as apples, a-"_

"_I like apples!" Sasuke exclaimed, his eyes widening in excitement._

"_Yes, so do I," Itachi replied. "Plums, cucumbers and even cherries were all flowers first."_

"_Cherries?" the young Uchiha mulled over this new piece of information. Something about it sounded familiar. "What sort of flower do those come from?"_

_Lowering his hand, his older brother smiled. "The cherry blossom tree, of course. Like the one by our house."_

"_Oh!" Sasuke's eyes lit up in excitement once more. "Those are the prettiest ones."_

"_Yes," Itachi nodded in agreement. "They are the prettiest."_

_The child glanced down at the pile of flowers between them, considering the matter carefully, before bringing his gaze to meet his brother's once more. "Nii-san, we should put some of the cherry blossoms in the bouquet! Since they're the prettiest ones, Kaa-san needs those, too!"_

_Itachi released a light laugh, but he nevertheless nodded his head, indicating his agreement. "We'll add a few sakura blossoms, then."_

"_Sakura?" Sasuke titled his head to one side in curiosity._

_Itachi's gentle smile returned, and he proceeded to explain it to his brother._

"_Nii-san," the young Uchiha smiled up at Itachi, his eyes fascinated. "You know everything."_

…

Sasuke narrowed his eyes into a glare. Yes. It always seemed Itachi knew everything. Even then, when he was young enough to not know better than to put a flower in his mouth, the man had been playing the role of the caring older brother he wanted. Of the caring son who would pick flowers for a bouquet, to be presented to their mother on her birthday. The hands he had used to present those flowers to the smiling woman were the same hands he would use in only a few short years to raise the katana and cut her life away.

"You bastard."

"I'm sorry, but I just don't think we should trust this advertisement," he heard Kabuto tell him, and the boy brought his gaze back to the man in perplexity.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"The soap," the Genin clarified, his condescending smile in place once again. "You don't need to get so upset with me just because I decided not to buy it, Sasuke-kun. Really, you shouldn't trust those marketing labels. It's all a scam, really."

As he stared up at the imbecile beside him, the boy's eye twitched again.

* * *

He pushed the kitchen door open and did not bother to hold it for Kabuto, who was struggling with most of the groceries. The boy proceeded to walk straight to the counter and set his load down, before quickly unpacking everything and placing them in the appropriate drawers. Finally, there would be decent food to eat around this damn place.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru greeted him in his low, raspy voice. "I trust you managed to find everything you needed?"

"Yes," the young Uchiha answered shortly, not turning his gaze from the task before him.

"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto rested his eyes on his master as he set his handful of groceries on the counter as well. "Did you know Sasuke-kun hates shopping?"

"Does he?" the Sannin sounded genuinely curious.

"He does," his assistant replied. "He also didn't like my latest outfit design."

"Kabuto," Orochimaru chuckled softly to himself. "Didn't I tell you that he'll only accept the best? I have great faith in your ability, though, so there is no need for concern."

Kabuto fixed his glasses and then turned to help Sasuke with the groceries. After they were finished, the Genin took three apples from the fridge and handed one to each of them, before walking forward to take his seat at the table beside Orochimaru. Holding back the sigh, Sasuke took a seat as well, finding he had nothing better to do.

"What did you have for lunch, Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto asked the Snake Master, his tone pleasant.

"Leftovers of that natto you prepared last night," Orochimaru replied. "It was delicious, of course. You always do make the best meals, Kabuto."

"It was still on par, I trust, after a night in the fridge?" the medical ninja checked.

"Oh, yes," the Sannin assured him. "As I said, it was delicious."

Kabuto smiled proudly, before turning his gaze to focus on Sasuke. "Do you like natto, Sasuke-kun?"

Not bothering to hide his look of disgust, the young Uchiha replied dryly, "It's not exactly my cup of tea."

"He's right, Kabuto," Orochimaru informed the man. "His cup of tea is jasmine. I've learned this from firsthand experience."

"Oh, is it?" Kabuto asked curiously. "That's certainly an interesting choice, especially for someone who doesn't like sweets."

"Kabuto," his master smiled fondly, "though I don't doubt your reasoning, I daresay it has little to do with anything logical. In fact, I believe it is a matter of the tea being habitual."

"Habitual, is it?" the Genin inquired. "How so, Orochimaru-sama?"

"It was a personal favorite of-"

"Shut-up," Sasuke glared at the man beside him, and he could feel his hand twitching angrily. He did not want to hear any mention of that man's name. He was affecting him far more than he would like, without Orochimaru bringing him up every time he drank a mug of tea.

"Oh," Kabuto lowered his voice, as if he actually believed that Sasuke would not be able to hear him. "I see who you mean."

"Dear Kabuto," the older ninja nodded his head in approval. "You are always so quick. I never even need to explain anything to you. It's as if you already know what I'm thinking."

"I _have_ been with you for some time, now," his assistant pointed out. "It only makes sense that we would be able to understand one another without even needing words, after a certain span of time."

"Of course, Kabuto," Orochimaru grinned.

Did these two idiots actually believe half of that nonsense? Clearly, it was an obvious guess who Orochimaru had been referring to. In fact, Kabuto was just that much more ridiculous for not being able to realize sooner. Why Orochimaru felt a need to praise him for every mistake was beyond Sasuke's capacity to comprehend, and he shook his head of the thought as he lifted the apple to his mouth and took a bite.

He chewed it slowly, ignoring the conversation unfolding beside him, as he considered some way he could speed the process of getting this seal under control. The stages made sense, there was no denying that, but perhaps there was some way to speed the different stages. He was eager to move on, to learn the advanced techniques. Techniques Naruto had clearly been taught by the Frog Sannin.

The young Uchiha glanced over, watching in silent disgust as Orochimaru devoured his apple. He was eating it ravenously, saliva dripping from his tongue, which he wrapped around the fruit on occasion. Biting into a particularly succulent portion of the apple, juice suddenly flew out, and it hit Sasuke in the eye.

Orochimaru glanced over at this, releasing his customary throaty laugh, and Kabuto joined in on his master's laughter. Saliva was dripping from the apple in the Sannin's hand.

Sasuke felt his eye twitch.


	9. Acceptance

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter IX

"Acceptance"

…

There was one meal in the day in which he always seemed to find disruption. At breakfast, he could avoid it, if he awoke late enough. Dinner, likewise, he could avoid easily if he prepared it late enough, and if he prepared it himself. Lunch, however, was the one meal he always seemed to find himself in the company of Kabuto and Orochimaru. Today, however, was a pleasant exception. Orochimaru had informed him that they would have to postpone training for the day, due to an experiment that required his immediate attention, and the Uchiha only supposed that Kabuto was assisting him, as was usually the case.

Therefore, he found himself sitting peacefully alone in the kitchen, a bowl of steaming tomato soup in front of him. If the Sannin had decided to not train him today, he might as well make the most of it and avoid both of those idiots. It would be nice to have a day to himself, in which he could restore his sanity after the chaos of last week.

He had been training non-stop, and every day it seemed Kabuto had a new outfit design for him to look at. He was growing tired of all of these failed attempts, of constantly shooting them down, of looking over them only to be disappointed, but there really was not a single outfit the Genin had designed that he could even remotely agree with. They were ridiculous, atrocious pieces of clothing, and they really did make Sasuke wonder what sort of outfits he would find on the other jailers as they changed hideouts, if Kabuto truly was the one charged with the designs.

No matter. Today, Kabuto had left him alone. He had not brought a single outfit before his eyes, which was a welcome change, considering the man always seemed to have something prepared the moment he woke up. However, just as the young Uchiha found himself reaching a brief state of serenity, it was instantly shattered when the kitchen door flew open.

"Sasuke-kun!"

The boy held back the groan, but he let the frown form as he averted his onyx gaze to the young man in the doorway. "What?"

"I do believe I have it!" Kabuto informed him, trembling in his excitement as he hurried across the room. He fell into the seat beside Sasuke, leaning across the table and holding his sketchpad out for the boy to inspect. "I was up working on this one all night! I showed it to Orochimaru-sama, and he approves."

Sasuke shoved the man away, as he was clearly invading his personal space and was a little too close for comfort, and he then proceeded to snatch the sketch out of his hands. He let his dark eyes wander over the drawing, but he paused almost immediately.

"What the hell is this?"

"The new design, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto laughed in his typical patronizing manner. "Do try to keep up."

The boy felt his eye twitch, but he refrained from snapping at the man as he calmly lifted his gaze to award Kabuto a pointed look. "I realize that," he said slowly, as if speaking to a child. "I'm just wondering why the hell you would design a piece of shit like this. Did you _really_ think it would be acceptable?"

"You can't say you don't approve of this one, either!" the Genin exclaimed, his eyebrows raised in astonishment. "You really have no taste at all, do you, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke scowled, lifting the sketchpad and throwing it across the room angrily. There, that should be enough to explain to the idiot what he truly thought of his work.

"Sasuke-kun!" Kabuto snapped to his feet in a start and he hurried to retrieve the book.

Hm, perhaps it would have been better if he had aimed for the trashcan. If only he had thought of that sooner. Oh well, too late now. He watched in satisfaction as the Genin carefully brushed his hand against the paper to clean it, all the while shaking his head in disappointment.

"You are such a child," the older shinobi was remarking. "You throw fits so easily. If you don't like something, you immediately shout out how much you hate it, and you just won't be happy unless you get your way. Honestly, it's a wonder Orochimaru-sama is able to put up with you as well as he does. But then, I suppose it's only to be expected, from a man as great as him."

"Oh, shut-up," Sasuke rolled his eyes in annoyance. He was tempted to throw his bowl at the man's head, now. "If you would just accept the fact that you make mistakes from time to time, maybe you would able to improve your stupid drawings, instead of all of them turning out worthless."

"They are not worthless," Kabuto disagreed with a firm nod of his head. "You just can't appreciate the true genius behind them."

"Or you're too much of an idiot to see how horrible they are," the Uchiha drawled in response.

"Don't be absurd," Kabuto tsked him, rising to his feet and using his free hand to push his glasses up the brim of his nose. "I am not an idiot, so your argument is clearly void. Now then, I'll go design something simpler for you, because, _apparently_, you're too closed-minded to appreciate my excellent fashion."

Sasuke did not respond. He merely glared at the moron until he left the room altogether.

When the door shut, he let his eyes wander back to the bowl in front of him, and he released a heavy sigh. More than anyone he had ever encountered, Kabuto was trying his patience. Frankly, he annoyed the hell out of him. Whatever, he was not going to let that moron ruin this opportunity to have a peaceful day, to eat his lunch free from all the ridiculousness that accompanied that duo. He therefore proceeded to close his eyes, composed himself, and then focused his attention on his meal, now thankful that he had resisted the urge to throw it at Kabuto. That would have been quite a waste, spoiling a perfectly good bowl of soup simply because the man was an idiot.

He lifted his spoon in his hand and took a small sip of the broth, allowing this rare feeling of enjoyment to close over him.

He hated these morons. Hated Kabuto's condescending smile and Orochimaru's unnerving stare, that snake's long tongue and that idiot's shimmering glasses. If he did not keep telling himself it would be worth it in the end, he had no idea how he would be able to retain his sanity through all this.

No matter. He could hate them all he wanted, but he needed Orochimaru. The thought sickened him, but it was true. It was the only way he could become more powerful, and he needed that power, so all he could do was suck it up and deal with it for now. The Uchiha nodded his head once and reached his hand out to lift his mug and take a small sip of his tea. As the aroma invaded his senses, cascading over him, he felt his mind wander…

…

"_Where do you want to eat, Itachi?"_

_There was a silent pause between them, before the Uchiha shrugged his shoulders and replied, "We could go to the Dumpling Café."_

"_Ugh, no," the older boy released a groan. "You're not serious, are you?"_

"_Do I look like I'm not serious?" Itachi rose a single brow._

"_Why do you always want to eat there?" his friend crossed his arms in front of him. "Anytime I ask, it's _always_ there. Sure, every now and again, you'll say some tea shop, but you always go back to that Café."_

_With a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders, Itachi replied, "There's just something about it. It's always been my favorite."_

"_They only have sweets there, though," a young child complained from beside his brother, and the two older boys glanced down at him._

"_I'd say he makes a good argument," Shisui lifted his eyes to award Itachi a meaningful look. "You've got a worse sweet tooth than your brother, and he's only 7!"_

"_Don't take this out of context," Itachi insisted. "Sasuke doesn't like sweets, period. That's highly unusual."_

"_So is an ANBU captain who spends his days off gorging himself on cake," Shisui shot back._

"_That may be, but my point remains," Itachi said with a slight shake of his head. "But I digress. You asked me where I wanted to eat, and I offered you my opinion."_

"_But, Nii-san," Sasuke stared up at his brother with a partially disgusted look in place, "they don't have anything I like."_

"_They have jasmine tea," his older brother reminded him._

"_That's not a meal," Shisui scoffed. "For that matter, a bowl of ice cream and slice of cake isn't a meal, either. I say the Dumpling Café is a terrible idea for dinner!"_

"_I'll concede to that point if you agree it's an excellent establishment for dessert," Itachi stated._

_The older boy remained silent a moment, as he folded his hands behind his head and considered the matter. Releasing a melodramatic sigh, he let his eyes fall to the ground as he replied, "Fine. It's a good place for dessert. So, if we go there for dessert afterwards, you'll agree to eat somewhere else for dinner?"_

"_I will," Itachi nodded his head._

"_It's decided, then," Shisui gave in, though he did so grudgingly._

"_I don't like dessert," Sasuke remarked._

"_Well, you don't actually have to order anything," Shisui glanced down at him, a teasing smile forming. "You can just sit there and watch us enjoy ourselves."_

"_Shisui-san," Sasuke jutted his lip out in a pout._

"_Don't worry, Sasuke," his older brother tapped him on the head to grab his attention, and Sasuke looked over to find Itachi giving him a genuine smile. "Like I said, they have that tea you like, so you can order that. And who knows? Perhaps you'll find something else you'll like."_

"_Ha!" Shisui released an amused laugh. "Yeah, right. This kid hates anything even remotely sweet. He's like the exact opposite of you."_

_Itachi shot his friend a look of annoyance. "A simple matter of taste does not determine such a fact."_

"_Yeah, yeah," Shisui waved his words away. "Whatever you say. So, where should we go for dinner? And no, Itachi, I'm not asking _you_."_

"_Fair enough," Itachi's pleasant smile returned, and he rested his dark eyes on his little brother. "Where would you like to eat, Sasuke?"_

"_Um…I don't know," the child glanced between the two in confusion. "Do I have to decide?"_

"_Oh, forget it!" Shisui rolled his eyes. "We'll just get barbeque!"_

"_Nii-san doesn't like barbeque very much," Sasuke pointed out._

"_Good lord, what's with the two of you?!" the older boy exclaimed melodramatically. "You're so picky!"_

"_Nonsense," Itachi shook his head in disagreement. "I would accept almost any establishment. You just happened to choose the one place I dislike."_

"_Ugh, fine!" Shisui halted in his steps and turned to his right. "Why don't we just get ramen, or something?"_

"_Ramen sounds agreeable," Itachi replied. "Sasuke?"_

"_I like ramen," Sasuke nodded his head._

"_Ramen, it is!" Shisui lifted his fist in the air. As he lowered it, he shook his head back and forth, muttering, "Jeez, I try to take us out someplace nice, and you two just want ramen."_

"_You'll make up for it with the dessert," Itachi assured him with a joking smile._

_Shisui scoffed at his friend. "I don't get what it is with you and that place, anyway."_

"_It's Nii-san's favorite," Sasuke reminded the older boy._

…

And Itachi always got his way, didn't he? No matter what context he happened to find himself, he always seemed to get his way. Whether it was father's approval or where he wanted the kunai to land when he threw them, he always got his way. If that desire happened to be the extinction of his entire clan, in order to test his capabilities, and to attain that goal without a single person stopping him, he would get his way. That was just the sort of person Itachi was.

He had been joking with Shisui, inviting him to accompany him as he picked up his little brother from school, and then accepting the offer of going out for dinner, since they all had the night off. If Sasuke calculated correctly, that particular night had been about a month before Itachi would murder that selfsame friend in order activate his Mangekyou Sharingan. That bastard would even go that far, all for the sake of obtaining all the power he wanted, all for the sake of getting his own way. He was utterly contemptible.

Sasuke scowled, pushing his tea a few inches away from him and focusing his attention on his soup.

What kind of life was it that Uchiha Itachi even lived? He had spent his entire youth deceiving everyone around him. He had then proceeded to slaughter everyone he had ever known, everyone but his little brother. No, instead, he had left his little brother alive to live with the pain, as a living embodiment of the clan whom he could still torment to his heart's content. Then, he had joined a gang of notorious S-ranked criminals, and now moved from place to place as he pleased, completely untouchable.

What sort of life was that? How heartless could one person possibly be? He was living for nothing but himself, doing exactly as he pleased and always getting his way. Nothing stood in his way, and he took what he wanted. He had no friends, no home, no attachments of any kind. He was a heartless bastard. That's all there was to it.

To think, that man had even urged _him_ to kill his closest friend. Well, that was certainly not going to happen. If Itachi wanted it, he would do everything he could to ensure that he did not get his way this time. He would not do as that bastard wanted, he would not keep running away, he would not wallow in despair, and, above all, he would be sure to put an end to that man's carefree existence. He would end his life. For once, things would not go as Itachi planned, and he would not get his way.

The young Uchiha smirked at the very thought, and he lifted his spoon to his mouth to continue his meal. He would put an end to this constant pattern, of that man attaining everything he wanted. He would train for as long as it took, become as powerful as he possibly could, learn everything Orochimaru had to offer, and then he would face his brother again. And kill him.

Yes, he was finished doing what Itachi wanted. And he certainly would not kill his best friend. Itachi may have carelessly slain Shisui, taking his life to obtain power, but Sasuke would not follow in his footsteps. If Itachi had the Mangekyou Sharingan, then Sasuke would simply train his eyes to become stronger, to be able to surpass this ability. He would not take Naruto's life, as his brother suggested.

The boy's hand fell still, and he stared down at the dark liquid in his bowl. Before his eyes, it seemed to transform into a steaming bowl of ramen, and he could hear someone screaming loudly in his ear. He could hear someone humming a little further off, he could hear the clatter of chopsticks against glass.

Naruto…

…

"_How many more people are there?"_

_A boy with spiked blond hair was jumping up beside him, trying to get a better view of the crowd standing in front of him. It was perhaps the first and only time there had actually been a line at Ichiraku's, and Naruto was more impatient than usual. People did not delay his meal at Ichiraku's, apparently._

_Sasuke's eyes wandered over the crowd briefly. There had been 16 last time he had counted. The two couples who had been present had now departed. Well, in that case…_

"_Twelve," he replied in monotone._

"_Sasuke-kun, you're so smart!" he heard a girl exclaim in his ear, and he glanced over to see Sakura smiling up at him in admiration. Good lord, it was if he could not say anything without her pining after him as a result. It was annoying. "I bet you didn't even have to count to know that!"_

_Well, in all honesty, he had not, but he was not about to fuel her fire._

"_Twelve?" Naruto's jumping stopped and he turned to the dark haired boy beside him, his mouth agape. "Are you _serious_, Sasuke?"_

_Sasuke focused his black stare on the blond. "Did it sound like I wasn't, dobe?"_

_At this, Naruto narrowed his cerulean eyes into a glare, and demanded, "Are you trying to challenge me, teme?"_

_Before Sasuke could respond, the pinkette immediately placed herself between the two of them. "Look, Naruto!" she exclaimed. "The line moved again."_

_Sasuke and Naruto both looked in the direction of the crowd, and the latter grinned as he crossed his arms in front of him. "I knew it wouldn't take much longer," he declared confidently._

"_No, you didn't, Naruto!" Sakura's anger flared, as it always seemed to. "You've been complaining this whole time!"_

"_But, Sakura-chan," Naruto whined, staring at her with pleading, confused eyes._

_Sasuke realized that the girl was raising her hand in a fist, and he instantly deduced that she was intending to punch Naruto. In one swift movement, the Uchiha grabbed his friend by the collar and dragged him in the direction of the ramen stand, out of Sakura's reach._

_Clearly not realizing what had happened, Naruto complained, "Sasuke! Let go! I can walk by myself!"_

_Internally rolling his eyes, Sasuke set the struggling blond down on one of the stools and then glanced over his shoulder. "Are you coming, Sakura?"_

"_Y-yes, Sasuke-kun," the girl grinned, her teal eyes widening in excitement and that telltale blush creeping over her features._

_Terrific. He had not meant to provoke that sort of reaction. Oh well, he decided he should just ignore it. Therefore, Sasuke assumed the seat on one side of Naruto, leaving the only available seat on the blond's opposite side. Sakura hurried forward and pulled herself up onto the stool, swinging her legs back and forth and humming something to herself._

"_Pork ramen!" Naruto was shouting to Teuchi, and the man nodded in response._

"_And for you, young lady?" he asked the humming girl._

"_Oh, um…just the vegetable ramen," Sakura decided with a simple nod of her head. As an afterthought, she added, "And can you be sure to give me a small portion?"_

_This time, Sasuke could not help but roll his eyes. Was the girl trying to diet again? Honestly, she was already thinner than most girls he knew. What was she possibly trying to achieve by starving herself? Did she think it made her more attractive? Because it didn't._

"_A small portion?!" Naruto fixed his bright blue eyes on the girl in astonishment. "But, Sakura-chan, it's ramen, dattebayo! You should want a big portion! A really, really big portion! The biggest portion possible!"_

"_Not everyone is a pig like you, Naruto!" Sakura snapped at him, about to raise her fist again, and Sasuke released a sigh._

"_Just leave her alone, dobe," he instructed, before placing his order as well._

_It may have been a long wait in the line, but once they were sitting down, Teuchi was always prompt. Within minutes, he was handing them their steaming bowls of ramen, and they were breaking their chopsticks._

"_Itadakimasu!" Naruto exclaimed, before delving into his meal._

_Sakura hesitated a moment, glancing over her shoulder as her teal gaze wandered over the crowd behind them, and she then leaned over the blond to focus her eyes on Sasuke. "What happened to Kakashi-sensei?"_

"_Kakashi-sensei went to the bookstore and said he'd be back in a few minutes, dattebayo," Naruto informed her through a mouthful of food, and this time Sakura managed to punch him. It was not too hard, and it was only on the arm, but Naruto still turned to her with confused eyes and a pouty expression. "Sakura-chan! What was that for?"_

"_You're being disgusting," the girl informed him with a self-satisfied smile, turning on her stool and beginning her meal in a dainty manner._

_Naruto frowned, but he nevertheless returned to his ramen. Before long, he was slurping up the last bit of broth, and he glanced over his shoulder to see if Kakashi had emerged yet. Hurriedly, he focused his eyes on the old man behind the counter and requested in a rather loud whisper, "Can I have another? You can put it on the tab and not tell Kakashi-sensei."_

"_I'll tell him!" Sakura stated matter-of-factly, slamming her fist against the table. "Just try and get away with it."_

_Sasuke focused his dark eyes on Sakura, a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. "Hey, dobe, why don't you get a small portion? That way Kakashi-sensei will be paying the same price as he would if Sakura had gotten a full serving."_

"_Oh, that's a great idea, teme!" Naruto grinned at the prospect, returning his bright blue eyes to Teuchi. "One small serving of ramen, please! Dattebayo!"_

"_Right away," the man replied, before steaming another serving of noodles._

…

"Sasuke-kun!"

The boy involuntarily jumped, and he focused his dark glare on the Sannin, who was now mere inches from his face. "Damnit, I've told you to stop that!"

"Tsk tsk tsk. _I've_ told _you_-"

"Yes, and I've told you that being scared and creeped out aren't the same thing," Sasuke drawled, not in the mood to hear Orochimaru repeat that particular lecture. "What are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here, Sasuke-kun?" the older ninja inquired, his snake eyes shining intensely.

"Eating lunch," the boy deadpanned.

"Yes, I see that," Orochimaru returned with a simple nod of his head. He rested his yellow stare on the soup, before returning his gaze to the child in front of him. "And how are you enjoying it?"

"Fine," he replied shortly. "Now, what are you doing here?"

"I am here because you were not outside, as you were supposed to be," the Snake Master informed him. "I don't understand what's taking you so long."

Sasuke arched a brow at this statement. "Outside? Since when was I supposed to be outside?"

"Sasuke-kun, you should know this by now," Orochimaru chuckled. "It is our training area, after all."

"Yes, but you said you had an experiment today," Sasuke pointed out.

"Ahh, but that experiment proved to be a failure," the man's eyes widened suddenly, as if he was recalling some enthralling memory to mind, and he then released a throaty laugh. "She was not strong enough to withstand the injection, and we therefore must try again with someone else."

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes at the thought. How anyone could laugh about such a predicament was beyond him. This man was certainly disturbing. Nevertheless, he opted to ignore this line of thought and kept his expression blank, finding it best not to react to such information.

"Are you saying we can train, now?" he clarified.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun, you should have been ready an hour ago," the Sannin replied.

At this, Sasuke glanced over at Orochimaru with a scowl. "I was told training would be canceled today, so you can't blame this on me."

"But aren't you supposed to be prepared for anything?" the Snake Master countered, and Sasuke felt his hand twitch. He was tempted, once again, to throw that bowl of soup, just to see what the man's reaction would be. He hated how these idiots would turn everything around on him, completely incapable of taking any of the blame on themselves.

"Fine," he muttered dryly.

"Excellent," Orochimaru turned immediately and headed for the door. "Come, then."

"Wait, now?" Sasuke furrowed his brow.

"We've delayed enough today," the Sannin pointed out, glancing over his shoulder and focusing his laughing eyes on the boy once more. "Aren't _you_ the one who said you didn't have time for patience?"

The young Uchiha curled his hand into a fist, but he quickly relaxed it and proceeded to rise to his feet. He crossed the kitchen, tossed the dishes in the sink and then walked past Orochimaru, to make his way toward the hideout entrance. They walked in silence, an eerie silence, in which Sasuke fervently avoided the glowing eyes beside him and kept his dark stare fixed firmly ahead of him. It was not long before they were stepping out into the sunlight, onto the sand and allowing the sound of crashing waves to surround them.

"Now, then," the Sannin came to a stop in the usual spot and turned his full attention on Sasuke. "Today, I've decided to try something different."

"What?" Sasuke asked dryly.

"Seeing as you are becoming increasingly better at controlling your lovely power on a physical level, I believe it would be wise to exert it a step further," Orochimaru explained. "I don't mean moving onto Chakra. You're not ready for that. However, I do believe it would be better if we were to incorporate some actual form of fighting into this physical exertion."

"Alright," the Uchiha nodded his head. It made sense. In fact, it would transition well into the Chakra control. "So, do you mean advancing to shuriken and kunai training?"

"Oh, Sasuke-kun," the older man chuckled at this, revealing his sharp teeth. "Nothing so arbitrary."

Arbitrary? How was that arbitrary? Whatever, he would let the moron think what he pleased. It was not as though anything he said could change his opinion.

"What, then?" Sasuke pressed.

"I do believe you should try your hand at sword fighting," Orochimaru informed him, a proud smile in place.

"Sword fighting, huh?" the boy mused. "I can't say I've ever done that before."

"Ah, but I am an excellent swordsman," the Legendary Sannin stated. "And, since I am your teacher, I do believe I should teach you everything I know. Don't you agree?"

Sasuke gave a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders, though he was inwardly rather excited by this idea. Not only would he be advancing in the first stage of controlling the seal, but he would also be learning an entirely new technique. A technique he would able to utilize even further in the future. He was not going to admit it, but it was actually a wonderful idea.

"Very well, then," Orochimaru nodded, and he then lifted his head, his eyes widening and he made a sudden gagging noise. Sasuke furrowed his brow in disgust, and he watched as the ninja in front of him began making a vomiting sound. His tongue transformed into some sort of snake, and the snake began gagging over something as well. Suddenly, out of the snake's mouth emerged a blade, and, when the handle came into view, the snake retracted, and Orochimaru lifted his hand to grab the handle of the sword.

His tongue now returning to normal—well, as normal as Orochimaru's tongue ever was—he licked it against the blade, saliva now dripping from the sword, and he then pulled his tongue back into his mouth. Focusing his yellow eyes on Sasuke, his mouth spread into what looked like an excited grin.

"Now then, Sasuke-kun," he began again, as if nothing had happened. "This is my sword."

"Well, thank god for that," Sasuke drawled, still mildly disgusted. As if he was about to claim that sword!

"Yes," Orochimaru chuckled lightly to himself, before walking a few paces to his left and lifting something out between two rocks. When he turned back to the boy in front of him, Sasuke realized it was a long, black sheath, which, from the shape of it, contained a straight, uncurved sword, and Orochimaru tossed it over to him.

Sasuke caught it easily and then gripped his hand around the handle, which he pulled out of the sheath to reveal a long, silver chokutō. He inspected it with his eyes briefly, running his forefinger along the surface, before sheathing it and then returning his gaze to the man in front of him. "Alright," he told him. "I'm ready."

"You always are, Sasuke-kun," the Sannin remarked, his eyes widening a fraction. "It's simply marvelous."

"Whatever, let's just get started," Sasuke snapped, not in the mood to watch the insane man stare at him, as if intoxicated. It always made him uncomfortable.

"Very well!" Orochimaru announced, lifting his sword over his head and then placing his feet some distance apart. "Take out your sword, Sasuke-kun, and assume the proper stance!"

"What's…the proper stance?" the boy asked in confusion.

"I will show you," the ninja told him with an amused chuckle. "Take your sword out, first."

"Fine," Sasuke rolled his eyes, unsheathing the chokutō once more and setting the sheath on the sand beside him. He then returned his attention to Orochimaru, whom he gave a pointed look. "Well?"

In the blink of an eye, the Sannin was behind him, repositioning his right arm and then kicking his feet further apart.

"Stop that!" the boy snapped, immediately jumping back several paces from the Snake Master and shooting the man a glare. "Just show me, and I'll go from there. I don't want you touching me."

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru tsked the boy. "It would be much quicker if you would just get the stance right, and then get used to it."

"Well, I've been able to learn by watching in the past just fine," Sasuke returned, scowling over at the idiot. "I've never really been a hands-on learner."

"If you insist," the older man shrugged his shoulders and then assumed the appropriate stance. He extended his sword in front of him, pointing it at Sasuke, before instructing, "Now, you do it."

Sasuke pressed his eyes shut, taking a steady intake of breath, before letting his eyes fly open as he activated the Sharingan and then perfectly copying Orochimaru's stance. With a conceited smirk, he asked, "How's that?"

"_Excellent_, Sasuke-kun!" Orochimaru stared at him, his eyes wide in fascination and almost longing. "The power of the Uchiha is clearly without exception."

The boy glanced aside, avoiding that man's unnerving gaze, as he demanded, "Alright, I have the stance. Let's move on."

"Yes, indeed, let's," the Sannin agreed, releasing a throaty chuckle, before stepping forward. "The most basic technique is defense. If you cannot defend yourself with your sword, it is useless. It is nothing more than another weapon for your opponent, one they can use against you. This," he repositioned his sword and his stance, "is a basic defensive stance."

Sasuke focused his crimson stare on the man, inspecting him briefly, before lifting his sword and copying the defensive stance. He let his Sharingan fade, then, deciding it would be better not to use too much chakra, as this was supposed to be testing his physical endurance. He watched carefully, scrutinizing every movement, and taking care to copy the stances as closely as possible.

Before long, he had them down, and, without warning, Orochimaru lunged at him, sword extended, and Sasuke instantly fell into defensive mode, lifting his chokutō to block the Sannin's blow.

That throaty laugh sounded once more, and Orochimaru crooned, "Excellent, Sasuke-kun. Excellent…"

They clashed again, and again, and each time Sasuke managed to deflect the attacks. However, when the Snake Master swung his sword with a tremendous force, the boy only barely managed to dodge it, stumbling in the process and falling to the ground. Orochimaru was upon him in a split-second, and Sasuke rolled over to avoid the next attack, before jumping to his feet and reclaiming the proper position.

However, before either had a chance to take the offensive, they were interrupted by an all-too-familiar voice.

"Sasuke-kun! Orochimaru-sama!"

Sasuke groaned, glowering in the Genin's direction, but, as usual, Orochimaru smiled fondly at the young man.

"Kabuto," he greeted, now turning his full attention on the younger ninja. "I trust you have something important for us?"

"Yes, of course, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto nodded his head in agreement. He used his forefinger to push his glasses up the brim of his nose, before letting his gaze fall upon Sasuke. "I do believe I've finally come up with a perfect outfit design for Sasuke-kun."

"Ah, excellent as always, Kabuto," the Sannin remarked. "Didn't I say you could do it eventually?"

"You did," Kabuto agreed, as he took his sketchbook out of his pocket and flipped it open. After shuffling through the pages, he came upon the appropriate one and handed it to the glowering Uchiha in front of him. "Well, what do you think _this_ time, Sasuke-kun?"

Holding back the sigh, Sasuke snatched the book out of his hands and focused his black eyes on the drawing. Well…he had to admit it was a vast improvement upon the Genin's other work. In fact, it was probably the best he had done yet. Not that it was perfect or anything. Not remotely. But he was growing tired of looking over Kabuto's constant drawings, all his failed designs, and, since this one was something he could actually consider acceptable, then perhaps he should just give up and let Kabuto have his way.

It seemed as though it was the only way the idiot would shut up about it.

The shirt looked a little large, but he could probably grow into it, and it _did_ look like something he could easily slip off if need be. The colors were simple, and the pants actually looked pretty neat. He was a little annoyed about the fact that Kabuto had managed to make the Uchiha crest as small as possible on the back, but he was tired of complaining and looking over so many stupid designs.

Therefore, Sasuke handed the drawing back to Kabuto and muttered, "Fine."

"Really?!" Kabuto's eyes widened in excitement. "Orochimaru-sama, did you hear that? He's finally decided on an outfit."

"Dear Kabuto, I always knew you could do it," the Sannin's fond smile morphed into a grin. "I never doubted you."

Lowering his voice to a whisper, but one the Uchiha could still hear quite clearly, Kabuto remarked, "Even with someone as picky as Sasuke-kun."

"He _is_ very picky, isn't he?" Orochimaru laughed, and Kabuto joined him, as they watched the youngest member of their company in amusement.

Sasuke scowled at the pair of them, turning his back to them and walking back to where he had left his sheath in the sand. After lifting it in his hand, he sheathed his sword and he pressed his eyes shut in annoyance. He could hear them complimenting each other behind him, Kabuto inquiring after their training and praising the Sannin's superb swordsmanship, and Orochimaru praising Kabuto for his fine work.

The Uchiha had to hold back a scoff. Fine work, indeed. After multiple failed attempts, he had finally managed _one_ that would be _acceptable_. If that was fine work, then people with any success should be receiving gold medals on a regular basis. Honestly, these morons had a ridiculously skewed notion of talent.

All he could say for the new outfit was that at least this one looked comfortable.


	10. Illusions of Perfection

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter X

"Illusions of Perfection"

…

He pressed his eyes shut tightly and drew a steady intake of the cold air surrounding him, inhaling the fresh scent of pine. There was a certain feeling of cleanliness that always seemed to follow the gentle snowfall, as if the world was suddenly at a standstill and enveloped in a pure white blanket, one that blotted out all misfortune. All wickedness, all corruption. The stains were wiped completely clean, and only a pure slate remained.

But there was something funny about snow. The longer you stared at it, the more and more you began to realize that, hidden within that glistening landscape, there were flaws. A rock would stand out here, a frozen branch there, and dirt patches throughout. Even scrutinizing the individual drops of snow, you could plainly see that they were not perfectly round, as they appeared from a distance, but, rather, they were some indescribable shape, one without a name. No single snowflake was the same, each inherently flawed in its own way.

"_They're similar, but different. And it's good that they're different."_

Was it really a good thing that they were different? If it was, why, then, did a snowcapped hill look so much more beautiful from far away? Why did that tree look more striking in its glittering splendor than it would if he was standing beneath it? Why did that patch of dirt amidst the seemingly incorruptible snow instill such a loathsome feeling of discontent? Why was the illusion of perfection so much more enchanting than reality?

He released the breath he had taken and slowly let his onyx eyes reopen, watching as the cold air picked up his breath until it vanished into the unseen vapor surrounding it. He stared in silence at the invisible air a moment, trying to let the stillness take hold of him, but he heaved a sigh and turned his head to face the opposite direction.

Four months.

Four months, he had been with Orochimaru, now. Four months since he had left Konoha. Four months, he had suffered the presence of the Legendary Sannin and his idiot medic-nin. Four months since his battle with Naruto. And four months since he had begun his training.

Alright, not _quite_ four months. There was that delay due to his and Orochimaru's injuries. So, perhaps it was closer to three and a half months, if he wanted to get technical.

Oh, lord. He was starting to sound like Kabuto!

'No, wait,' the Uchiha corrected himself, a slight smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. 'Kabuto would have forgotten.'

They had currently taken residence at a far north hideout, one tucked securely away in the mountains, and perhaps the first he had seen that did not have an overt entrance. He was grateful they had come to this particular hideout. Not for the entrance aspect, of course, though that was a nice perk, but for the weather. In all the hideouts, it was cold indoors, near freezing, in fact, and it was kept that way because of the warmer weather outdoors. And, for this same reason, minimal blankets were provided in each room, which was really getting annoying.

At this hideout, however, because it was so much colder outside, the interior was kept warm, and every bed was stacked with thick blankets. Not only that, but Kabuto had ventured outdoors a few days previously and spent the winter afternoon collecting ingredients from the mountain's generous selection of plants, only to fall ill the following morning. He had been bedridden ever since, with only himself to help care for him, seeing as he was, after all, the medic.

The shinobi outwardly chuckled as he recalled the frail expression that had taken the place of Kabuto's usual condescension. Ahh, it was so refreshing.

And, ever since that wonderful morning, there had not been a single interruption in his training. The chakra control of the seal was going much more smoothly than the physical control had, and this was due, in large part, to the lack of disturbances from a certain man in round glasses. It also had to deal with the fact that he had become more aware of the seal's pull, more attuned to when it would start to creep over him. Plus, there was a certain conditioning that came with going through the steps the first time, since the technique was similar, but simply called upon chakra instead of physical endurance. In other words, they built upon one another.

Needless to say, training was progressing well, Kabuto was ill, Orochimaru was busy with experiments today, and it had started snowing again. He had stepped outside and readily welcomed an opportunity to clear his head. Winter had always been his season of preference, and, with what it had done to a certain moron, he felt a newfound fondness for it.

Why was it, then, that when he had come out here to get away, to clear his head, to try to grasp at least a small measure of peace, surrounded in all directions by his favorite season, all he could do was find flaws?

Uchiha Sasuke came to a stop in his slow walk and took a seat on a fallen log, which was half-buried in the snow, his dark eyes fixed on the stream in front of him. The water was rushing swiftly, though quietly, amidst the frozen patches of ice, and the young Uchiha trailed after it with his eyes until it vanished in the distance, down the side of the mountain. He shivered, pulling the shirt tighter around him, and he found himself feeling strangely grateful for Kabuto's final design, that it had actually included sleeves. Unlike many of the others. Still far from perfect, though.

'But then…isn't everything?'

Sasuke scowled, narrowing his black eyes into a glare as he let his stare drop to the snow beneath his feet.

Why was it never real? Why did everything that seemed so perfect always turn out to be a lie? A clever deception, or a trick of the eye? Was it so difficult, so impossible for anything to be truly perfect?

He let his hand fall, tracing a pattern in the snow, the imperfect white, underneath which was far too much dirt for there ever to be flawlessness. He clenched his hand into a fist, lingering only a moment, before lifting it from the ground and then slowly opening his palm to stare down at the powder in his hand. However, it was already melting. The slightest human contact only furthered the rapidity with which the corruption settled in, and he released another heavy sigh. His breath was visible in front of him for only a moment, before fading into the surrounding air.

Sasuke extended his hand in front of him, before tossing the snow in the air and watching as it flew through the sky, only to fall back to the glittering ground below…

…

_He smiled, rushing forward to stand beneath the branch as it showered snow upon the white earth, and he watched as the powder fell, to join the glittering snow beneath his feet. He then kicked his boot against the ground and rushed forward to catch the wave of snow that flew up at the impact._

"_Alright, I won't be long!"_

_Sasuke's dark eyes snapped away from the ground instantly at the sound of that familiar voice, and he glanced over to see his brother walking out the front door. His mother was standing in the doorway, a grateful smile in place, as she pulled her oldest son into a hug._

"_Thank you, Itachi," Mikoto told him. "I really appreciate this."_

"_It's no trouble, Kaa-san," Itachi offered her a warm smile, before turning and making his way to the road._

"_Nii-san!" Sasuke called, hurrying after him, and Itachi turned his head abruptly, clearly only having just noticed his little brother. As the boy came to a stop beside him, he stared up at Itachi with curious black eyes. "Where are you going?"_

"_To the market," Itachi replied with a simple nod of his head. "I wanted to give Kaa-san a chance to rest."_

"_Ohh," his little brother nodded in understanding. A sheepish smile formed as his eyes fell to the ground, and he asked, "Can I come with you?"_

"_I don't see why not," the older Uchiha replied, and Sasuke's eyes immediately brightened, and he returned them to meet his brother's gaze. "You're already dressed warmly, after all."_

"_That's right," Sasuke smiled in excitement, as he slipped his hand into his brother's. "I don't want to get sick again."_

"_No, indeed," Itachi replied as he began to lead the way down the road. "No one wants that."_

_The boy remained silent a moment, his dark eyes glancing back and forth between houses, taking in certain details, before he returned his stare to his older brother in curiosity. "Nii-san?"_

"_Yes?" the older boy awarded him a questioning look._

"_When we get back, can we build a snowman?" Sasuke asked._

_Itachi smiled, before offering a nod of his head in consensus._

_The young Uchiha returned the smile, pointing at a neighbor's house and insisting, "And it needs to be bigger than theirs!"_

"_Oh?" Itachi arched a curious brow at this. "Why is that?"_

"_Because, Nii-san," Sasuke grinned up at his brother. "Ours is going to be the best!"_

"_Ah," the older boy laughed softly at this. "Well, since the two of us are the ones making it, I'm sure it will be."_

"_Because you're the best at everything," Sasuke nodded his head._

"_Well," Itachi shrugged his shoulders, "there's also a certain amount of determination that is required for achieving the best at anything. If you don't set goals for yourself, if you don't have aspirations, you'll never achieve anything. However," he held up his index finger, "if you _do_ have the proper determination, it is likely you will achieve the goals you set, as long as you are willing to work hard for them."_

_Sasuke listened to his brother silently, his onyx eyes fixed on the ground as he pondered over this, before a small smile returned to his countenance. "I'm going to work hard at everything, then," he stated with a firm nod of his head._

"_And, it's because of _that_," Itachi lowered his hand to instead pat his brother on the head, "that we will have the best snowman."_

"_Okay, Nii-san," Sasuke's smile turned eager, and he quickened a little in his steps. The pair continued in silence, as they exited the Uchiha gate and onto the main road that led to the center of Konoha. As they walked, however, a thought occurred to the younger Uchiha, and he glanced back up at his older brother._

"_Nii-san?"_

"_Yes, Sasuke?" Itachi lowered his eyes to meet his brother's once more._

"_What does Kaa-san need from the market?" the child inquired._

"_Oh, just some groceries," Itachi gave a slight shrug of his shoulders._

"_Ohh," Sasuke nodded his head in understanding, but he furrowed his brow. "Why is Kaa-san so tired?"_

"_Well, she's not tired, but I thought she would like an afternoon to herself," Itachi replied. "A chance to relax, and not have to worry about anything."_

"_Oh!" Sasuke's eyes brightened. "That was really nice, Nii-san! Maybe we should do this more! That way, Kaa-san won't _ever_ have to worry!"_

"_I suppose we could, when neither of us are busy," Itachi agreed, smiling down at his brother in approval. His smile widening a fraction, he leaned down so that he was eye-level with Sasuke and whispered, "It wasn't on Kaa-san's list, but I don't think she would mind if we restocked on tea."_

"_Are we running out?" Sasuke looked befuddled._

"_We are," Itachi nodded once. "What do you think? Should we buy more?"_

"_Okay!" Sasuke smiled back up at Itachi._

_It was not long before the pair found themselves in the center of town, and Itachi led his brother through the market, expertly weaving his way through the crowd and stopping only at the necessary stalls. When they were finished, everything fit into one bag, which the older Uchiha carried in one hand, and he held his brother's small hand in the other._

_Sasuke, who was smiling happily as he glanced around him, brought his stare to his older brother once more. "Nii-san?"_

"_Yes?" Itachi asked._

"_What's your favorite season?"_

"_My favorite season?" Itachi's dark eyes wandered to the sky as he considered the question carefully. "I suppose I would have to say autumn. The vibrant colors of the trees, the subtle chill in the air, the types of scents that always emerge…they have always been the most pleasant, to me."_

"_Hm…yeah, I guess autumn's nice, too," Sasuke gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. "But I think winter is better!"_

_Itachi released a gentle laugh at this. "I could have guessed. Because of the snow, right?"_

"_Well, the snow, too," Sasuke replied, "and I like it because there aren't as many people outside, so it's like you get the whole world to yourself! And everything looks completely different than it does in the other seasons—all the trees and the roads, and people's houses. I think it's prettier when it's white. And it's always quieter in the winter, and there's Christmas, and we light the fireplace sometimes, and…." The child paused, his stare falling to the ground and he furrowed his brow._

"…_And?" Itachi asked, tilting his head to one side in curiosity._

_Lifting his large black eyes once more, Sasuke gave his brother a pointed look. "And you don't go on as many missions in the winter."_

_Itachi's brow rose a fraction, but his expression immediately softened, and he allowed a slight nod of his head. "You're right," he told the child. "I don't. I like that about winter, too."_

_Sasuke's eyes grew wide. "Really?"_

"_Aa," Itachi replied._

_Sasuke grinned, before turning to face forward again and quickening his pace. He released his brother's hand and ran a few feet ahead of him, calling back, "Come on, Nii-san! If we hurry, we can have that tea sooner!"_

"_Alright, but not too fast, Sasuke," Itachi warned him._

"_I won't," the young Uchiha assured his brother as he took to the road in a steady sprint._

_However, when he stepped down on his right foot, in his eagerness he managed to overlook the patch of the road that had frozen over. When he rushed forward, he slipped and fell to the ground, a sharp pain shooting through his right ankle. The child winced, lowering his hand to grasp his foot, and his older brother was at his side in seconds._

"_Are you alright, Sasuke?" Itachi asked, his brow creased in worry, as he knelt down beside the boy._

"_Um…," Sasuke stared down at his ankle, his large black eyes conveying obvious hurt, but he brought his hand to his mouth to suppress the sniffle. "I…I'm okay."_

_Itachi inspected his ankle with his eyes, before reaching forward and tentatively touching the side of it with his hand. When Sasuke winced, the older boy released a heavy sigh and offered a hand to his brother. "Let's see if you can stand," he told him, and Sasuke nodded his head obediently._

_However, when the child put weight on his right foot, he released a moan, and he immediately lifted it off the ground to instead hop on his left foot._

"_It hurts, doesn't it?" Itachi asked, a frown clearly visible. "What did I say about not running too fast?"_

"_But, it wasn't very fast," Sasuke insisted, hobbling on his left foot a moment longer, before falling back to a sitting position on the road. His eyes were fixed on the ground in shame. "I didn't mean to, Nii-san."_

"_I know," Itachi tapped his brother on the forehead to grab his attention, and he offered him a reassuring smile. "It's alright. We'll put some ice on it, and then you can sit in Tou-san's chair by the fireplace and drink your tea."_

"_But…Tou-san doesn't like it when other people sit in that chair," Sasuke remarked in confusion._

"_Well, Tou-san won't be home until tonight," Itachi pointed out with a distant smirk. "As long as you aren't sitting in it when he gets home, you don't have to worry."_

"_Okay, then," the Uchiha nodded his head, a sheepish smile forming. However, it immediately vanished as concern filled his eyes. "Should we not tell Kaa-san? That way, she won't have to worry?"_

"_No, it's alright, there's no need to hide it," his older brother shook his head. "Besides, she'll probably wonder why I'm piggybacking you home."_

"_You're going to give me a piggyback ride?" Sasuke's eyes brightened in excitement._

"_As long as you don't mind carrying the grocery bag," Itachi joked._

"_I don't mind," the child shook his head vigorously, and his brother proceeded to hand the bag to him. He then helped Sasuke climb onto his back, before rising to his feet and turning in the direction of their house._

…

_Fugaku wanted the house to himself that day. At the very least, that was what their mother had told them. In all honesty, she was probably just giving them a forewarning, because their father was always very irritable when he was sick, and it was best to avoid him. Itachi had therefore taken his little brother with him to spend the day at Shisui's house. Of course, they did not spend very much time inside the house itself. They rarely did when they visited him, and especially not in the winter._

_The older boy was currently jumping down from a low-hanging branch of the tree in his backyard, and he landed with a smug expression._

"_The old man sick?" he asked._

"_It's unconfirmed, but that's my guess," Itachi replied with a distant smirk._

"_Well, then," Shisui ran toward them to pull the two into a group hug, "I suppose the task falls on me to play the host!"_

_Itachi simply rolled his eyes at his friend, as his little brother squirmed in the older boy's tight grip._

"_Shisui-san, let go!" Sasuke insisted._

_Shisui's smile turned into a grin, and he released Itachi to wrap his arms even tighter around the child and lift him off the ground. "Never!"_

"_Put me down!" Sasuke tried to break out of the boy's hold, but to no avail._

"_Resistance is futile!" Shisui laughed as he twirled Sasuke in his arms. He stopped short, however, when he felt a sudden force against his back, and he turned immediately to see it was a snowball. Focusing his gaze on the Uchiha prodigy, he found Itachi smiling innocently at him._

"_Itachi, you traitor!" he exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at him._

_Sasuke laughed, awarding Shisui a triumphant grin. "Nii-san's going to save me," he informed him matter-of-factly. "You're in trouble, now, Shisui-san."_

"_Is that so?" Shisui's smile turned mischievous. "You know what this means, don't you? War!"_

_He locked his arm around Sasuke and leapt to a large pile of snow on the ground, from which he grabbed a fistful of snow and tossed it at Itachi. However, it never even made contact, instead falling in a spray of powder in Shisui's face, and he coughed at the sudden attack._

"_I daresay you'd have better luck if you put Sasuke down," Itachi remarked, chuckling at his friend's foolishness._

"_Never!" Shisui reaffirmed, tightening his hold on the boy and running across the yard to take shelter behind the tree, but not before receiving another pelt of snow to the back of his head. This caused him to lose balance, and he tripped in an unceremonious heap on the ground._

_Immediately seizing the opportunity, Sasuke broke from his hold and scampered away, to hide behind his brother._

"_No fair!" Shisui lifted his head with a pout, as he once again pointed an accusing finger at Itachi. "Never attack a guy when his back is turned!"_

"_Never use my little brother as a hostage," Itachi returned, putting on a conceited smirk._

_Before Shisui had a chance to respond, another snowball flew through the air and hit him directly in the face, and his eye's widened in a start._

_Itachi blinked twice, before glancing back down at his brother. "Wow, Sasuke," he remarked. "Perfect aim."_

"_You little runt!" Shisui jumped to his feet, a snowball in either hand, and he tossed them at the siblings, but Itachi scooped his brother up and leapt out of the path of Shisui's attack._

"_Too slow," Itachi taunted, and Sasuke giggled at the flustered boy._

"_It's not fair!" Shisui threw his hands in the air dramatically. "You're teaming up against me!"_

"_It's _your_ fault!" Sasuke pointed at the older boy. "You shouldn't have tried to capture me!"_

"_Besides, whether you had another member on your team or not, it wouldn't change how bad your aim is," Itachi pointed out, and he and Sasuke laughed at Shisui's astonished gasp._

"_I'll show _you_!" the older boy exclaimed, reaching down to make another snowball, but Itachi threw one that hit him squarely in the hand._

"_Wow, Nii-san!" Sasuke's dark eyes widened in fascination. "Your aim's so much better than Shisui-san's!"_

"_No, it's not!" Shisui insisted, tossing a snowball at the pair of them, but it passed over their heads without either even bothering to duck._

_Itachi shook his head in amusement. "Surely, you're doing it on purpose, now."_

_The game continued all afternoon. It was not until the sun was descending below the line of trees and Shisui slipped in the snow for what seemed like the fiftieth time that a surrender was finally requested._

_Sasuke formed a perfect snowball in his small hands, before glancing up at his older brother as he shook his head vigorously. "We don't accept prisoners, do we, Nii-san?"_

"_He's right, Shisui," Itachi awarded the older boy an apologetic look. "We don't."_

_Sasuke grinned, before tossing the snowball in Shisui's shocked face, and he fell onto his back with a melodramatic cry of agony._

"_Noo! And I had so much I wanted to do!" the theatrical boy exclaimed, reaching his hand in the air with half-closed eyes. "So many regrets! I…I'm dead!"_

_With that, his eyes shut and his head fell. For an added effect, Shisui stuck his tongue out._

_Sasuke laughed at the display, before hurrying over to his brother's side and tugging his hand. "We won, Nii-san!" the boy's smile was victorious. "Quick! Let's go inside and drink all his tea before reinforcements show up!"_

"_What?!" Shisui's head shot up immediately._

"_The spoils of war," Itachi smiled in turn, pulling his brother by the hand and hurrying into the older boy's house. As Shisui rushed after them, the prodigy slammed the door in his friend's face, and the siblings ran into the kitchen through fits of laughter._

…

Sasuke pressed his eyes shut, as a dark scowl overtook his countenance.

It always seemed so perfect. No matter what he and his brother were doing, no matter the situation or the age, it was always perfect. He had always been convinced that Itachi was the perfect teacher when it came time to train, the perfect teammate when they paired up against Shisui, the perfect Uchiha, the perfect epitome of their clan, the perfect son, and, without fail, the perfect older brother.

"_See? You _are_ the perfect Uchiha!"_

"_Nii-san, you really are the best kind of teacher!"_

"_You're perfect at everything, Nii-san!"_

"Perfect," Sasuke scoffed bitterly, slamming his fist against the snow beneath him. "Far from it. It was all a damn lie, and I fell for it."

He let his eyes open and he rested them upon the wintry landscape once more, as he attempted to suppress these stupid feelings. These useless, naïve memories. He inhaled a breath of the cold air, keeping his breathing slow so as to allow the calm to seep through him. He focused his mind on more pleasant matters, on the events at hand, and he smirked at the thought of the bedridden Kabuto.

However, when his mind fell upon that particular image, another flooded his vision…

…

"_What do you expect when you spend all day outside without even wearing a jacket?"_

_His father was standing over the bed, his arms crossed in front of him, and his mouth turned in a frown. He gave a disappointed shake of his head, before turning his back and making to leave the room. However, as he did so, he was caught in the doorway when his wife entered, and Mikoto grabbed her husband by the hand and pulled him back to his youngest son's side._

"_Sasuke," Mikoto smiled down at him, though her brow was creased in worry, and she leaned over to press the back of her hand against his forehead. "Are you feeling any better?"_

_The child bit his lower lip, afraid to answer truthfully when his father was still in the room. He therefore proceeded to give a slight shrug of his shoulders in response._

"_You can't tell?" Fugaku asked, the frown becoming more prominent, and he pressed his eyes shut. "If you truly wish to become a ninja like your brother one day, understanding the degrees of health of your own body is child's play. Itachi, my son, knows and understands fully how well he is at any given moment."_

"_Yes, sweetie, but sometimes children want to act tough in front of their elders," Mikoto remarked with a slight laugh. "I daresay you do it from time to time."_

"_Humph," Fugaku turned his head away. "There is a difference between relaying strength for the sake of others, and being uncertain of your own state of being."_

_Mikoto took a seat on the edge of her son's bed, and she pulled his blanket up to his chin. "Sasuke," she brushed a strand of damp hair out of his eyes. "You don't have to act strong for us. Is it feeling any better?"_

_Sasuke hesitated a moment, his eyes fixed on his mother's hands, before shaking his head in response._

"_As expected," his father mused, dissatisfaction seeping through his tone. "You spend all day playing in the snow, rather than focusing on your training, and you become negligent. Perhaps this will teach you to remember a coat next time, like your brother."_

_With that, the man turned and exited the room, leaving the child alone with his mother._

"_Kaa-san," Sasuke mumbled weakly._

"_Hm?" Mikoto smiled sweetly as she ran a hand through his unruly hair._

_The young Uchiha was interrupted by a cough, which he covered with his hand. After the fit subsided, he leaned his head back against his pillow and asked, "Why is Tou-san mad at me?"_

"_He's not mad at you," his mother shook her head in disagreement. "He's upset that you're not feeling well, and he's just not sure how to express himself. He's worried. It's just his way of looking out for you."_

"_Is it?" the child's weak voice did not convey his doubt. Rather, he proceeded to close his eyes and nestle his head against the pillow, too tired to verbally question his mother's reasoning._

"_Yes, it is," Mikoto asserted, smiling warmly, and she leaned over to press her lips against her son's cheek. "Get some rest, Sasuke. Be sure to call me if you need anything."_

"_Okay, Kaa-san," the boy mumbled._

"_I'll see you in the morning," she told him. She rose to her feet and crossed the bedroom, and her son was asleep before she even closed the door._

* * *

_A pair of onyx eyes flew open. The boy was shivering from head to toe, and his sheets were covered in sweat. He focused his blurred vision on the window, and he saw it was the dead of night. How long had it been since his mother was standing at his side, kissing him goodnight? How long since his father had turned his back on the scene?_

_Sasuke moaned, lifting his small hand to his forehead, but it provided little solace to the burning surface. His hand was almost the same temperature. At least, it seemed that way. He dropped his hand and buried his head in his pillow, hoping the added pressure would offer some form of alleviation._

_He could not call for his mother. It was too late. If it was too quiet, she would not hear him, and if it was loud enough, it would wake both her and his father. And he did not want to wake either of them. His mother would be worried, and his father would be upset, and they both needed their rest._

_The young Uchiha pulled his blanket closer around him, trying to block the chill, but it only made his head pound harder. He released a muffled cry in his pillow._

'_Why does it have to hurt?' he thought miserably. 'Why can't it just stop? I want it to go away…how come it can't just go away? Why do people have to get sick? I wish it would stop…I'll stay in bed, I won't go in the snow, I'll eat soup like Kaa-san said, so why won't it stop hurting?'_

_He could feel a stinging sensation welling up in his eyes, and he sniffled back the tears. As he did this, however, they were caught in his throat, and he fell into a coughing fit. His throat was already sore from an earlier fit, but it only grew worse if he tried to suppress the coughs, and the child lifted his hand to cradle his neck._

"_Sasuke."_

_The boy lifted his head from the pillow a fraction, turning until he caught sight of the figure standing at his bedside. Bringing his hand to cover his mouth, Sasuke managed through a cough, "Nii-san."_

_Itachi took a seat on the bed and he reached a hand out to feel his brother's forehead. "You're burning up," he remarked, and, in the faint light the moon cast through Sasuke's window, he caught sight of the worry across his older brother's face._

_Sasuke waited a moment, to be sure the cough had subsided, before speaking, his voice raspy. "Nii-san…did you just get back from a mission?" as he asked, he pointed at the older boy's forehead protector._

"_Aa," Itachi nodded his head. "How long have you been sick?"_

"_This morning," Sasuke answered hoarsely._

_Itachi stared down at him silently a moment, before asking, "Why didn't you get Kaa-san?"_

"_I didn't want to wake her up," his little brother mumbled, wincing at his pounding head and pressing hands against it once more. He could feel his eyes tearing up again, and he pressed them shut tight. "It hurts, Nii-san," he sniffled._

_Itachi wrapped his arms around his brother and lifted the boy to a sitting position in his lap, his head resting on Itachi's shoulder. "It's alright, Sasuke," he told him in a quiet voice, rubbing a hand against his back soothingly. "It will pass. I know it is not much of a comfort, but all you can do is bear with it until it does."_

_They sat in silence a moment, Sasuke tightening his hold around his brother, until the coughing began again. The young Uchiha pulled away, covering his mouth with his hands and crawling back to his pillow._

"_I'll be back in a just a moment, Sasuke," Itachi told him, and Sasuke nodded his head in response. "Are you hungry?"_

"_No," the child managed between coughs._

"_Alright," Itachi replied, before rising to his feet and pulling the blanket over his brother once more. He then turned and left the room, closing the door behind him._

_When the cough had finally settled, Sasuke lifted his head again and propped his pillow up against the headrest. He then wrapped his blanket around his shoulders and draped it in front of him so that it still covered his entire body, before leaning his back against the pillow._

_It took a few minutes, but when Itachi returned, he was dressed in his pajamas and carrying a glass of water. He was also holding something else, something Sasuke could not make out, until his brother was sitting next to him once more. He handed the water to him first._

"_Here," he told him. "This should help with that cough."_

_Sasuke nodded his head, accepting the glass from his brother and taking a slow sip. The cold liquid was a bit of a shock, running down his sore throat, but it was oddly soothing. He took another sip, before pausing to wince as he pressed his hand against his forehead once more._

"_Ah, for that," Itachi held out his hand to reveal a damp washcloth, "I brought this." He gently pressed the cloth against his brother's forehead, and Sasuke released a quiet sigh of relief. Itachi kept his hand in place, and he again lifted his brother in his lap. Sasuke curled up against Itachi and rested his head upon his shoulder, holding the glass of water close to his chest._

"_Nii-san," Sasuke mumbled._

"_Yes?" Itachi arched a curious brow._

"_Why am I shivering, even though my head's hot?" the child asked._

"_Well, that is because of the illness," his brother informed him. "It's all a part of the healing process. To counteract the fever, the rest of your body is trying to cool it down, hence the chill which causes the shivering. As for the fever, your body is sending the combatant cells to the area of infection, and, because of the fighting, your head flares up in a fever. Because…," here, Itachi lifted his hand from the washcloth and extended his index and middle finger, and he then gently pressed them against his brother's forehead, "this is where the battle is taking place."_

_A small smile formed at the sensation, and Sasuke pressed his eyes shut. "So…it hurts, because my body is trying to heal me?"_

"_Precisely," Itachi nodded his head in agreement. "Unfortunately, the remedial process hurts, but it is a necessity."_

_Sasuke released a quiet laugh, but it morphed into a cough, and he quickly lifted his glass of water and took a slow sip from it._

"_Are you alright?" Itachi asked._

_The boy nodded his head in response, lowering the glass to his chest once more. Leaning his head back against his brother, he mumbled weakly, "It's kind of funny that it doesn't hurt until you start getting better."_

"_Aa," Itachi managed a small smile, resituating his hand on the washcloth and then tightening his hold on Sasuke. After a moment, he took the glass of water from his brother to instead set it on the bedside table, and Sasuke assumed it was to prevent him from spilling it if he fell asleep._

_A silence fell between them once more, a silence filled with the howl of the wind outside, as snow was swept through the air and against the window pane. Itachi's eyes wandered to the frost covered window and he watched the heavy snow fall. A fair amount of time passed between the two siblings, a timespan in which anyone would assume the young Uchiha had fallen asleep. However, he proved any assumptions wrong when he whispered the same word that always seemed to break the silence._

"_Nii-san…"_

_The smile returned to the corner of Itachi's mouth as he lowered his eyes to his little brother. "Yes?"_

_Letting his heavy eyelids fall closed, Sasuke nestled his head against his brother and his small hand clutched at the front of his shirt. "I love you, Nii-san."_

_He never saw his brother's reaction. He only barely managed to discern the words he gave in response as he drifted out of consciousness._

"_I love you, too, Sasuke."_

…

"Bastard!"

Sasuke's fist slammed against the log, which was much less stable than he had initially predicted, and it actually snapped under the force of his blow, causing the boy to lose his balance. However, he managed to catch himself on his knees before he could fall on his face, and he shook his head at his own clumsiness.

"Idiot," he scolded himself in a bitter undertone, and he forced himself to his feet. He walked away from that stupid log, from that damn spot and instead walked along the side of the half-frozen stream.

What was the matter with him? He really needed to stop thinking so much, stop thinking over all of those memories. It only strengthened that bastard's hold over him, and he needed to break from that. He had been poisoning his mind his entire life, displaying a loving façade for the sake of attaining his own damnable goals, of testing his own damn capabilities.

Perhaps Itachi was more like Orochimaru and Kabuto than he had once assumed. Perhaps he had a sadistic streak, and he enjoyed watching the pain of others, he got a sick thrill out of it. Perhaps he enjoyed messing with people as much as those idiots did, doing anything he wanted for his own warped amusement.

"Bastard," Sasuke muttered. "You sick, twisted bastard. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you for everything you did! For that smug look on your damn face when you killed Tou-san and Kaa-san-"

He was not paying attention. His foot wandered, catching ice, and before he could even register what was happening, he lost all balance and fell into the stream with a loud crash. The stream was rushing faster than he had realized, and it swept him several yards before he managed to catch hold of a stray branch. He tightened his grip and pulled himself upright, making sure to steady his footing.

He was about to pull himself up when his foot slipped underwater and his head submerged…

…

_It was cold. It was cold, and he did not like it. It felt like daggers piercing at him from every direction. He flailed his arms, but they seemed to be useless. No matter how hard he slammed them against the water or how high he stretched them over his head, they never reached the surface. He did not even know which direction was the surface._

_The surface was the one with the light…right?_

_But this direction had light, and so did that one. Which one was the surface? What if he reached toward the wrong one? It would be harder to make it back to the right one. But he could not stay where he was. It was cold, and his arms were already tired. They were numb. He could barely move them._

_He needed to breathe. He could feel the pressure building up on his diaphragm, and he needed to breathe. But he could not breathe here. If he breathed in the water, something would go wrong. He would start choking, and he would breathe more, and then choke again. But he needed to breathe. He needed to reach the surface, because he needed to breathe._

_But it was so cold, and he was so numb, and he did not know where to go, which direction was up. Or had he fallen sideways? Did that mean he was supposed to be swimming sideways?_

_His eyes were stinging, but he could not close them. If he closed them, he could not tell which direction the light was coming from. And he needed to swim toward the light, because that was the surface. Wait…or was that just a reflection of the surface? Perhaps that was why the light was streaming from two different directions. But then, which one was real? How could he tell, if they both looked the same?_

_His arms were still. He told them to move, but they were not listening. He told his mouth to stay shut, but it wanted to open. It wanted air._

'_Am I…am I going to die? I don't want to die. I don't want to die! Help…someone…'_

_He felt a strong weight on his wrist, and it was pulling him under. It was pulling him further from the light. Or was that the reflection? But, the light was over there, too. The light was not in the direction he was being pulled. There was only darkness there, and he did not want to fall there. Anywhere but there._

_But he was too numb to even resist._

"_Sasuke!"_

_The boy's eyes flew open. When had he closed them? He drew a heavy intake of breath, and the exhale came in a cough. He was coughing on something. Was it water? When had he breathed in water?_

_A strong force fell against his back, and he coughed harder, all remaining water flying out with it, and he fell back wearily. Through his blurred vision, he began to distinguish the area surrounding him. He was still at the lake, which had frozen over. Snow was falling overhead, and he was shivering horribly. He was freezing._

_Someone was holding him. He was warm. And familiar. Something was familiar about him._

"_Sasuke…"_

_That voice…of course! That was why he seemed so familiar. The child focused his eyes on the figure, and he realized the older boy's head was bent over, his face hidden behind his hair._

"_Nii-san?" Sasuke breathed._

_At the sound of his little brother's voice, Itachi's head snapped up instantly, his dark eyes wide in astonishment. And relief. He pulled the boy into a tight hug, and Sasuke smiled. Itachi was much warmer than he was, and it felt better than the cold air that had been surrounding him. Yet…why was he so cold? And wet? He had been in the water, right?_

"_Nii-san," Sasuke mumbled. "What happened?"_

_Itachi was silent a moment, but when he spoke, his voice was composed as always, though with a certain underlying desperation that was only barely detectable. "The ice cracked, and you fell," he replied. "I pulled you out, though. You're alright. You're alright, don't worry."_

"_Oh…," Sasuke blinked twice, piecing the information together. The weight that had been pulling on his wrist, that had been his brother. He had not been pulling him under, but toward the surface. "Nii-san…did you save me?"_

"_Yes, Sasuke. You're alright," his brother repeated._

…

_It was the same lake, but it was a different day. A different season altogether. His brother had been teaching him how to swim, and this was his first time swimming at the lake. It scared him. Itachi was holding his hand, but it scared him. He thought something touched his foot, and he panicked. He jumped on his brother's back, and Itachi had barely managed to save both of them that time._

_Itachi questioned him about it, wanting to know what had happened to arouse such a panic._

"_I got scared because I…," Sasuke trailed off, feeling ashamed to even utter these words. He should not be as afraid as he was, but it was the truth. "I don't want to die, Nii-san."_

_His brother's expression softened. He turned and gently guided the boy back toward the safety of the shore. "I won't let that happen, Sasuke," Itachi stated firmly. "I promise."_

"_Nii-san…"_

"_Hmm?"_

_Sasuke looked up at his older brother, his onyx eyes filled with trust. There was no one in the world he trusted more than Itachi, and he knew Itachi would never break his promise. And there was one more thing he wanted his brother to promise, something that he decided was just as important as the first promise._

"_I don't want you to die, either."_

_Itachi smiled, "Don't worry, Sasuke. I'll always be here to protect you."_

…

Sasuke gasped for breath, holding his hand against his chest as he heaved intakes of the cold air. He was lying on his side in the snow, the stream to his back, and his clothes dripping wet. These damn memories, and that damn stream, and his stupid foot, and that sick bastard, and that stupid ice.

He felt a certain constriction in his chest, one he knew was not due to any physical ailment, and his countenance fell into a scowl.

"You bastard," the Uchiha muttered under his breath.

Like this snow-covered hill, the beautiful snowflakes, the gentle stream, which all seemed to so perfect, Itachi had always seemed so perfect. There was never a single flaw. He was as glistening and incorruptible as this scene before Sasuke's eyes. But then, little by little, the longer you stare at something perfect, the harder and harder the blow when you realize how imperfect it is. When you see those distinct flaws, those cracks in the surface. When you realize everything you believed in was nothing more than a clever lie.

He had lived his entire life in a world his brother had convinced him was true. He had a loving older brother who would protect him from everything, who would never leave his side, who would always appear at the perfect moment to help him, whether it was holding him when he was sick, carrying him home when he sprained his ankle, or pulling him out of the ice.

But that world was a lie. It was a false reality his brother had constructed, all for his own sick amusement. The reality was much harsher. Sasuke lived in a world where his parents, his aunt, his uncle, his entire clan had been murdered. He had no family. No family except the man who had killed everyone he ever cared about. And his brother, his caring, protective older brother, was nothing more than a heartless bastard who was responsible for every hardship he had ever faced. And now, he lived each day in a state of insanity, with two sadistic lunatics—one, who spent every waking hour annoying the living hell out of him, and other, who seemed to rise to every occasion to remind him of his misfortunes and of the bastard who had caused them.

Yes, that was his reality. And there was nothing perfect about it. These memories he had, which seemed so vivid, were nothing more than illusions his brother had cast. Living illusions of a man who had never actually existed.

"You bastard!" Sasuke screamed, pounding his fist against the ground. "How could you play with me like that?! I'm your little brother! How could you do that to me?! How could you do that to our parents?! How could you do that to everyone?! You made everyone care about you, and you convinced everyone that you cared about us!"

The Uchiha turned his head, burying his face in the snow and wrapping his arms around his torso in attempt to control the shivering. This was reality. After falling in that freezing water, there was no one to hold him. If he got sick, there was no one to care for him. No one but some idiot medic, and he would be much better off taking care of himself. There was no one.

Because Uchiha Itachi was not his brother. Not the brother he had known, not the brother who had convinced him to care about him.

Why did it all have to be a lie? Why could that enchanting illusion never become reality? Why could it never look the same when you got close? Why did there have to be these stains in the white surface?

Why could it not be perfect?


	11. His Body

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter XI

"His Body"

…

_Rays of light streamed through the cluttered leaves overhead, and the boy squinted in attempt to block the sudden onslaught. He lifted his hand to shield his eyes, before pushing himself to a sitting position, his back to the large oak tree. It was always such a nuisance when the sun emerged from behind the clouds. Not even the shade of the tree or pressing his eyes shut would block it._

"_Sasuke."_

_He averted his dark eyes to rest on the figure approaching him. A young girl, with short brown hair and a nervous smile across her face, was running toward him, a large book tucked under her arm. Her face was flushed, and she was out of breath, but her eyes were bright with eagerness._

"_Did you find him?" the Uchiha asked, as the girl came to a stop and knelt in the grass beside him._

"_Yes," she nodded her head in response, and lifted her index finger. She pointed at the line of trees in front of them, as she explained, "He's that way. There's a stream, and he stopped by it just a minute ago."_

"_Okay," Sasuke's expression shifted to one of determination, and he pushed himself to his feet. Reaching into the pouch at his side, he retrieved a kunai, and then gestured to her. As she rose beside him, he focused his black irises on the tree line and said, "Let's go, Tamaki."_

"_Right," she hurried after him, clutching tighter to her book and glancing to either side, a crease in her brow._

_When Sasuke glanced over at her, he awarded the girl a confused look. "What?"_

"_Oh, I'm…just a little nervous," Tamaki mumbled._

_The Uchiha titled his head to one side. "Why?"_

"_Well…we've never tried going after one this big without Itachi-senpai," the girl explained, her brown eyes falling to the ground. "I just…I mean…are you sure it's alright? Maybe we should just wait for your brother."_

"_What?" Sasuke crossed his arms in front of him with a slight pout. "But that's the point. I want to catch this one and do it myself, that way I can show Nii-san how far I've come."_

"_Yes, but…a _tiger_, Sasuke?" Tamaki bit her bottom lip. "Don't you think that…well, maybe we could go after something easier? At least until Itachi-senpai-"_

"_No!" Sasuke turned and continued his way to the forest. "I can do this myself, and you're coming with me."_

_Tamaki quickened her pace, ducking beneath a low branch and then rushing to his side. "But, Sasuke-"_

"_Shh!" the boy gave her a pointed look as he held a finger to his mouth. He then dropped to one knee and narrowed his eyes, inspecting the area around them, before beckoning Tamaki to follow suit. As she fell to eye-level with him, Sasuke whispered, "Which way's the stream?"_

"_That way," Tamaki lifted her hand and pointed to their right. "Just a few yards. But…are you sure-"_

"_Look," the Uchiha rolled his eyes, but he nevertheless awarded her a softer expression, "if you're worried about getting hurt, don't be. I won't let him near you."_

_Before the girl had a chance to utter another word, Sasuke vanished from her side, sweeping through the undergrowth until he came to a stop just short of the stream. Narrowing his dark eyes, the Uchiha spotted an inconsistency, the dark orange and subtle black lines clashing against his otherwise emerald surroundings._

_The child readied his stance, tightening his hold on the kunai in hand, and then taking a quiet breath._

…

"Sasuke-kun!"

A sharp pain shot through his side. It lasted only a moment, and then faded. Well, that was odd. However, within a second, it had returned. And then again. It was a repetitive, stabbing pain, that shot through his ribcage. What the hell was that? He furrowed his brow, releasing a groan and burying his face in his pillow. There was something so very annoying about it.

"Sasuke-kun!"

What the hell was it with that voice? It sounded familiar. What was it about it that sounded so damn familiar? And why did it make the whole situation that much more annoying? And that pain continued. It was really was very bothersome. Whose voice was that?

Oh. Right.

"Kabuto!"

In one swift movement, Sasuke reached his hand out and grabbed the idiot by the ankle, causing the Genin to almost lose his balance altogether. As it turned out, Kabuto had been kicking him. However, the matter of why remained entirely open to question.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun," the moron smiled down at him, that condescending smile from which he had been relieved for the past few days now in place, as he lifted his hand to push his glasses up the brim of his nose. "As you see, I have recovered."

Oh, he saw that. Plain as day. He would have to be a complete idiot to overlook that fact.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Sasuke demanded.

"Orochimaru-sama sent me to wake you up," Kabuto explained. "He says it's time to begin your training today. And, I, for one, believe you spend far too much time in bed. It's really quite unhealthy."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes into a glare. "I'm in bed just as long as either of you. The only difference is that I fall asleep later."

"Well, then perhaps you should go to sleep with the rest of us," the Genin suggested, his smile broadening. "I've told you time and again, you should try to match our schedule."

The idiot had never once mentioned such a thing, and his delusional presence was more obnoxious than usual. Perhaps it was because of his extended absence. Oh hell, why could that illness had not done them all a favor and just taken the idiot to his grave? Sasuke released Kabuto's ankle with a rough push and then buried his face back in his pillow.

"Now, now, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto tsked him. "You really do need to get up. Orochimaru-sama sent me specifically for this purpose."

"I don't give a damn," Sasuke mumbled into his pillow.

In that moment, he felt that distinct pain again, and, when Kabuto kicked him a second time, he grabbed that idiot Genin's foot.

"Kabuto," a restrained hostility now laced his tone, "even if Orochimaru sent you to wake me up, why the hell are you kicking me?"

"Well, I find it's the most effective means to rouse a person," Kabuto replied, pulling his leg away from the Uchiha and then straightening himself. "Seeing as I have far more experience in this matter than you, I would strongly suggest you trust my judgment."

Sasuke offered no response. It took all his willpower not to lash out at this moron and make life a better place for everyone.

"Ahem, honestly, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto readjusted his glasses. "You need to get up."

The hell if he was going to listen to _Kabuto_, of all people. He turned over in bed once more, his face in his pillow, as he mumbled, "I'm going back to sleep."

"Fine," the Genin's voice continued, dripping with self-satisfaction, "don't get any better." There was a brief pause, before he added, "Don't surpass your brother."

As Sasuke snapped up, his hand already clenched in a fist, he barely managed to catch sight of Kabuto's silver head retreating through the open doorway.

That damn, spineless bastard. Why the hell did he have to recover? He was so sick of this moron. If only Orochimaru would send him away, to stay at some remote hideout, as far away from them as possible. All he would do now was interrupt their training and annoy Sasuke every chance he got. But, of course, Orochimaru would never send Kabuto away. He was much too fond of the idiot. Hell, he thought he was a genius. A brilliant strategist, a marvelous cook, the greatest medic, and the perfect costume designer.

If only the two were not a damn package deal.

Sasuke threw his blanket off with an irritable shove, before crossing his room and heading into the connected bathroom. He stopped in front of the mirror, his mouth turned in a scowl, and he stared into his reflection dully. He ran a hand through his unruly hair, pulling a strand down, but, as always, it persistently stood back up. The boy gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. At least it was easier to manage this way.

Reaching down and pressing his hand against his side, his black eyes narrowed into a glare. Those damn kicks actually hurt more than he had initially suspected. That stupid Genin.

And for once he had actually been enjoying his dream.

* * *

"Damnit, Kabuto!"

The boy threw the empty carton of milk at the older shinobi's feet, and Kabuto's eyebrows raised in a start. They were currently standing in the kitchen, Sasuke in front of the fridge, and Kabuto at the stove. The idiot had just finished preparing breakfast for Orochimaru and himself.

"How many times do I have to tell you to throw it out when you finish it?!" Sasuke snapped.

"How many?" Kabuto arched a brow at him. "Including this instance? Twelve. If you can even call this fit you're throwing such a thing."

"You're such a damn moron!" Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed into a glare. "Obviously, it was a rhetorical question! And why the hell is it so damn hard for you to remember everything?!"

"Don't be absurd, Sasuke-kun," the Genin pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose. "I remember everything. After all, _you_ didn't remember it had been twelve times that you had told me, did you?"

"Why the hell did I have to tell you _twelve_ times?!" the Uchiha demanded.

This idiot clearly had selective memory. He heard only what he wanted to hear. He remembered only what he wanted to remember. What was strange, however, was that he always managed to remember the most insignificant, absurd, minute facts as opposed to anything of actual value.

Kabuto only smiled in response to Sasuke's words. It was a sickening, sweet smile, that made him want to beat the living shit out of the idiot.

"Kabuto," Orochimaru called from the table, glancing up from a book he was reading, "is that breakfast ready yet?"

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama," the young man turned his attention to his master as he proceeded to carry the plates across the kitchen, his smiling countenance immediately turning sincere. He set the Sannin's meal in front of him and then assumed the seat directly beside him. "There you are."

"Thank you, Kabuto," the Snake Master nodded his head to him, before averting his yellow snake eyes to the boy beside the fridge. "Sasuke-kun, I must say, you're up earlier than expected."

Sasuke furrowed his brow at this remark. Were they just _trying_ to mess with him, now?

"You sent Kabuto to wake me up."

"I don't recall such a request," Orochimaru glanced back at the medic beside him. "Kabuto, did I ask you to do that?"

"Oh," Kabuto lifted his hand and rubbed his nose with his index finger, "I just thought you would both like the opportunity to get started with your training early this morning. After all, Sasuke-kun's training is of the utmost importance."

"Ah, you're quite right," the Sannin smiled fondly at the young man. "Excellent thinking, Kabuto."

Kabuto looked quite pleased with himself, quite pleased with Orochimaru's praise, and he lowered his hand to instead take a bite of his meal.

"Are you saying…," Sasuke could feel his eye twitching, as he clenched his hands at his sides, "that you did not send Kabuto in to wake me, and that he was kicking me this morning for no reason at all?"

Orochimaru's eyes widened a fraction, and he turned his stare on his assistant. "Kabuto, were you kicking Sasuke-kun?"

"Well, I thought it was an effective means to wake him," Kabuto replied, smiling up at his master. "You remember how it worked so well on that last experiment?"

"Yes, Kabuto, but that was an experiment," the Sannin pointed out with a slight shake of his head. "That was a very different context. As effective as it may be, I must ask you not to kick Sasuke-kun in the future. After all, he's important, and I can't have anyone injuring his body."

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama," the younger ninja conceded. "I will remember."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted.

They all knew _that_ was utter bullshit. Kabuto could not remember a damn thing, and he especially seemed to have difficulty remembering anything where Sasuke was concerned. Besides, the Uchiha had begun to notice a certain pattern, and the Genin seemed to get a sort of sick thrill out of kicking his victims. No matter who they were.

As Sasuke turned to grab an apple out of the fridge, he remarked, "You forgot to pick up the milk and throw it away, you dumb-ass."

"Oh," Kabuto turned his gaze to the carton still lying on the floor. "Someone really ought to pick that up, oughtn't they?"

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru turned his eerie smile on the boy, "would you like to pick that up?"

"No," Sasuke drawled, slamming the refrigerator door shut and then crossing the room to take the seat at the table as far from those idiots as possible. "Tell Kabuto to pick it up."

"You _are_ the one who threw it on the floor, Sasuke-kun," the Sannin pointed out, his eyes widening in enthrallment.

"I'm not picking it up," the Uchiha stated dryly. "Pick it up your damn self."

Orochimaru paused, his snake eyes still engrossed by the boy in front of him, before extending his tongue from his mouth and licking his lips. Sasuke rolled his eyes, the look of disgust crossing his features, as it always seemed to when he was in the presence of this maniac.

"I can't possibly do that," Orochimaru replied.

"And why the hell not?" Sasuke arched an annoyed brow at him.

"Because, I had nothing to do with it," the man stated.

"Well, I'm not picking it up," the boy gave a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

There was a brief pause again, in which the two merely stared at each other in silence, clearly at an impasse. After a moment, however, the Sannin turned his attention to the medic-nin with a pleasant smile. "Dear Kabuto, throw that away, won't you?"

"Oh, of course, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto rose to his feet promptly.

As the idiot made his way across the room to lift the carton off the floor and then drop it into the trashcan, Sasuke found himself actually fighting a smirk. There was a certain pleasure he felt at the sight of Kabuto succumbing to Orochimaru's order. True, it was sickening at times how much he seemed to worship the very ground the Sannin walked on, but, other times, it was quite convenient, having someone keep the idiot in line. In fact, it was as if he turned into a servant. And the sight was so very satisfying.

* * *

That was the third Chidori.

His chakra was now entirely depleted. He leaned against the wall for support, trying to control his breathing, but it came out in an obnoxious panting. That would be all they could do for the day. It was an inconvenience, but such was the case with that particular power. He lifted his dark gaze to rest on the Sannin, who he found staring at him with that same, unnerving gaze that seemed almost longing.

He opted to ignore the look, however, and simply asked, "Are we calling it a day?"

Orochimaru only smiled, his sharp teeth revealing themselves, and Sasuke resisted the disgusted expression he could already feel fighting its way to his face. "Quite the contrary, Sasuke-kun," the man stated.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke furrowed his brow in perplexity.

The Sannin chuckled, his usual throaty chuckle, as he began to pace in front of the boy, though he never once removed his unnerving stare from him. "If I may draw your attention to something," Orochimaru began, "I would have you know that, for the past five days, the cursed seal has not even once emerged when you are low on chakra. Not in the slightest. And now, here you are, your chakra utterly depleted, and the seal is still not emerging."

The Uchiha's dark eyes wandered to rest on his shoulder and he lifted his hand to feel the mark. As it turned out, the Snake Master was correct. The seal was not activating this time, he could not even feel the slightest trace of its pull. It was odd, really. He knew he was empty of chakra. He could feel it. Yet, even so, that thing was not festering under his skin, trying to take over.

"And?" Sasuke brought his gaze back to Orochimaru. "What exactly does that mean?"

"It means," Orochimaru paused to wipe his saliva-ridden tongue across his lips, "that we are finished with this stage."

Sasuke blinked twice. "We are?"

"Yes, Sasuke-kun," the Sannin replied with a soft chuckle. "You now have complete control of your own chakra, without the seal's interference." He extended a hand and directed it at the boy in front of him, as he announced, "The time has come to begin the third stage. You are going to begin calling the seal at your own convenience."

The boy's mouth turned in a smirk, and he pushed himself away from the wall, a newfound excitement filling him. "Alright," he gave the man a nod. "I'm ready."

"As always, of course," Orochimaru agreed, his eyes widening a fraction. "This is perfect. Since you have no chakra of your own left, it is an excellent opportunity to feel the full effects of your new power. Now then, since the Chidori uses such a significant amount of chakra, it is an ideal technique for this process. Once you call up the power of the seal, release as many Chidori strikes as it will allow."

"Understood," Sasuke gave a firm nod of his head, pressing his eyes shut and focusing on that burning feeling in his shoulder. The last time he had called it forth was during his fight with Naruto. And even then, that was during a time of duress. It was strange, trying to let it actually take over, after all of the time spent suppressing it.

He took a slow breath, and, as he released it, he could feel that burning sensation spreading over his body.

"Orochimaru-sama! Sasuke-kun!"

The voice was muffled, but he knew what was coming. The training door flew open not a moment later, and, as he let his eyes open, he caught sight of the idiot stumbling into the room, an excitedly determined expression in place. He came to a stop a few feet from the pair of them and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"I have some information," the Genin stated.

"Oh?" Orochimaru asked.

Sasuke glanced over at the Sannin, and he noticed a strangely different expression on his face than usual. At least, where Kabuto was concerned. He was always so fond of this idiot, and there was a praising smile directed at the younger shinobi. Now, however, his pleasant tone seemed almost forced, and there was something behind that blank expression that radiated…could it be annoyance?

Then again, maybe he was only imagining it. Perhaps Kabuto was simply annoying _him_ more than usual that he was now seeing it others' faces, as well.

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto nodded his head.

"Well…," the Snake Sannin gestured a hand at the medic. "What is this information that was so important?"

"Well, you see, there was a bee in my room," the Genin began, fixing his glasses again. There was a slight pause, in which Orochimaru and Sasuke merely stared at him blankly, awaiting his elaboration. However, when he did, all he said was, "And I killed it."

Sasuke could feel his eye twitch.

"You interrupted us…for _that_?" he asked, straining to fight the hostility in his voice. But, the longer he stared at Kabuto's condescending face, he could not seem to contain it. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"Honestly, Sasuke-kun, watch your mouth," Kabuto tsked him with a slight shake of his head.

"Oh, shut-up!" Sasuke yelled at the egotistical bastard. "Just shut the hell up, you dumb-ass! No one gives a damn what you have to say, or that you killed a stupid bee! Why the hell would you interrupt our training for something as ridiculous as _that_?! I am so sick of you! Why don't you just do us all a favor and throw yourself off the side of the mountain?!"

Kabuto's jaw dropped and his eyes widened in befuddlement. He shook his head again and cleared his throat, before insisting, "Sasuke-kun, I suggest you get your temper under control. You will not speak to me that way. Need I constantly remind you of your unimportance to our cause?"

"Kabuto," the Sannin spoke, and they both turned to find him glaring at the younger man. "How dare you interrupt his training. It was completely unnecessary for you to come tell us that you killed a bee in your bedroom. I have told you countless times that Sasuke-kun's training takes precedence over everything. It is of the utmost importance."

The Uchiha stared at the older shinobi in surprise. He had never once seen Orochimaru displeased with his idiotic assistant. Perhaps he truly was growing as annoyed with him as Sasuke was.

"O-Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto stammered, bowing his head. "Are you suggesting what I had to say was-"

"Unimportant? Without cause? Completely insignificant?" Orochimaru snapped. "Yes, Kabuto, I am. Sasuke-kun is everything. I thought I had said enough on the matter this morning, but clearly you have proven me wrong." He pointed a threatening finger at the medic and then pointed at the door. "Come with me. There is something important I must discuss with you."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," the Genin glanced up briefly to shoot a glare in Sasuke's direction, before taking a turn and leading the way to the open doorway.

As the Snake Master pulled the door shut, he was saying, "Need I remind you just how important Sasuke-kun is to us?"

Before the Uchiha could hear another word, however, the door closed behind them and their voices faded.

A silence fell in the large training room, and the boy found himself staring at the door, his dark eyes narrowing in suspicion. What was it exactly that was so important Orochimaru had to discuss with Kabuto? So important that it was enough to make Kabuto lose his usual self-satisfied demeanor and actually glare at him? So important that the idiot had actually shut his damn mouth?

Something that concerned _him_.

Sasuke hesitated only a moment, before quietly crossing the room and coming to a stop in front of the door. He drew a silent breath, before pulling it open, but only enough for a small slit, to which he pressed his ear. From the sound of their voices, they were still in the hallway, a short distance from the room itself. Thankfully, they were far enough away, or perhaps simply too stupid to notice the slight squeak the door had made when the Uchiha had opened it.

"But, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto was saying, "I didn't mean anything-"

"Kabuto, I've tried to be patient with you," Orochimaru's raspy voice interrupted. "I'm growing very tired of your treatment of Sasuke-kun. It's very disrespectful—to him, _and_ me."

"No, I would never disrespect you, Orochimaru-sama."

"Oh, but you have, Kabuto," the Sannin disagreed. "By disrespecting him, you disrespect me. You say he is unimportant to our cause, but you fail to see how pivotal the child truly is. Surely, you understand what I mean. Without him, I have nothing. I require the power he possesses."

"I understand, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto assured him. "After falling short of obtaining his brother's body, you want Sasuke-kun. You need the Sharingan to face Akatsuki."

"Not only Akatsuki," the Snake Master's voice was laced with irritation. "I need it to destroy Konoha once and for all. Our operation failed last time, Kabuto! It failed because I did not have enough power. But this boy is the key. We will bide our time, allowing Akatsuki and Konoha to slowly destroy the other, and then we shall make our move. And, once I have that boy's body, I will be able to stand against all of them. That is why his training is so very important. Do you not see? If I do not spend this time preparing his body, empowering him, I will not be able to make my move as soon as these three years are over."

"In a way, I suppose it's convenient you lost your chance to take his body four months ago, and that you had to settle for Gen'yuumaru's body," the Genin mused.

"Yes, it is rather funny how things turn out," Orochimaru released a soft chuckle. "But you must understand something, Kabuto. That is why his training is so important to us. I must teach him as much as possible, build up his natural powers, his Chidori, his bloodline limit. That way, when I combine all of my power with his, I will be invincible."

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto replied. "With Sasuke-kun, you will have enough power to eliminate all of your enemies."

"Precisely," the Sannin snapped. "That is why you cannot continue to interrupt our training. Do you not realize that we progressed much farther than could ever have been expected in one week alone simply because you were bedridden?"

"I-I…Orochimaru-sama…what are you saying?"

"I am saying that this needs to stop. Sasuke-kun is advancing much faster than I ever thought possible, and you cannot keep hindering our progress."

"It was completely unintentional, I assure you. If I had known what a nuisance I was being to you-"

"Yes, well, that is why I am telling you now. So, from this point onward, I expect significant improvement in your behavior. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," the idiot sounded dejected.

"Excellent. I am glad we understand one another, Kabuto. Now, back to your room, and stop reporting every little thing to me. You can file it in that damn report of yours at week's end."

The Genin released a heavy sigh, before muttering, "Yes, Orochimaru-sama. I apologize. I won't interrupt you anymore."

There was a shuffling of feet, and all fell silent.

Sasuke backed away from the door, his onyx gaze fixed on the ground beneath him and his brow furrowed in perplexity. It was only a moment before the Snake Sannin reentered the room, but Sasuke kept his back to him and did not respond to the man's apologies on behalf of his idiot medic. However, when he announced that they could resume their training, the Uchiha adopted an expressionless façade and glanced over his shoulder to address the older shinobi.

"That's enough for today," he stated dryly.

Orochimaru tilted his head to one side in confusion. "Are you certain, Sasuke-kun? I do believe this is a rare opportunity, which-"

"Which I can do tomorrow," Sasuke drawled. "After three Chidori strikes, we'll have the same result. Like I said," he turned to face Orochimaru and cast him a dark scowl, "that's enough for today."

He did not wait for a response. He proceeded to simply walk past the Sannin and pull the door open, which he shut behind him, and then made his way down the long, dark hallway. He walked beside the wall, his hand extended and tracing the subtle indentions in the stone, his dark eyes staring straight ahead of him. It did not take long before he reached the hideout entrance and was stepping out into the snow.

The young Uchiha pulled his shirt tighter around him and then wrapped his arms around his torso for warmth. He pressed his eyes shut and took a few deep breaths to steady himself, before the thoughts finally flooded his mind.

The chosen one.

Suddenly, it was not such a laughable concept. This was the reason the Legendary Sannin had come to him, had offered the invitation. Why he had come to _him_, specifically. He wanted to take possession of his body. When he had first left Konoha, this was why Orochimaru had sent his Sound Ninja to acquire him. The Snake Master had intended to take his body then, as soon as he had arrived at the hideout. But he had missed his chance.

Which meant there was a time limit on the technique. From what they had said, the time limit must be three years. So, because of Konoha, because they had been stalled, Orochimaru had missed his opportunity, and now he was stuck training him for the next three years, until he could seize his chance.

And he had tried to take Itachi's body.

Sasuke scowled bitterly at the thought. '_Of course_ he wanted Itachi. Everyone always wants Itachi. So, he's just settling for me, his younger brother, because he couldn't get the great prodigy.'

Even Orochimaru viewed him as nothing more than a replacement for his brother.

Perhaps the Fifth Hokage had known about this all along. Perhaps that was why she was so insistent on sending the ninja after him to begin with, to bring him back to Konoha. And perhaps, just perhaps, they had been right. Perhaps staying with Orochimaru like this was pointless, pointless for his goal, if all the Sannin truly desired was obtaining his body.

But then, if Itachi had managed to resist it, then that meant there must be some way to counteract the technique. And if Itachi could do it, then why was it so inconceivable that he could, as well? He would train these remaining years and surpass Itachi. And if, at the end of his training, he was not capable of repelling Orochimaru, then it meant he would not have been capable of defeating Itachi as it was. Which meant that was as far as he would have been able to rise, and the vengeance he desired would not even have been possible.

If Orochimaru was his teacher, though, that meant Orochimaru would know every technique he possessed, and perhaps he would prepare something himself to counter them. That certainly would not do. He would have to train himself in secret, developing his own techniques, out of the Sannin's knowledge, to catch the man off guard.

Sasuke opened his eyes and gave a decisive nod of his head. This changed nothing. He would become stronger and surpass his master, and he would defeat him before Orochimaru ever got the chance to try to take his body. He would have to keep both Orochimaru and Kabuto in check. And he would have to remain persistently aware of the time. At present, he had two years and eight months before the Sannin would make his move.

He still had time. He would remain as he had been. He would continue his training. He would stay with Orochimaru and learn as much as he could from him until the time came. And when it did, he would kill that disturbing Snake bastard. And, if all went well, perhaps he would even take Kabuto with him.

Sasuke smirked at the thought.

Well, at the very least, he had one advantage in all this. Orochimaru had no idea that the young Uchiha was now aware of his plan.


	12. Thunderstorms

**A/N: Thanks again to everyone who has offered their support. It's much appreciated, and it's always nice to know how you're enjoying it. Don't forget to read The. Teal. Rose's "Illusions of Serenity" and Lehrain's "Vigil of Sorrows."**

* * *

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter XII

"Thunderstorms"

…

This hideout was the worst.

So far, anyway. He was quite certain there would be worse to come. After all, these idiots always managed to surprise him. By which, of course, he meant, leave him severely annoyed when they thrust some new level of ridiculousness upon him. That being said, he had no doubt that there would be some worse hideout in the future. But, as things stood, this was the worst he had been to, yet.

It was in a swamp. A disgusting, malodorous, likely disease-ridden swamp. True, it had offered some form of amusement when Kabuto had slipped in those filthy waters on their journey to this particular hideout, but, aside from that, the whole place was repulsive. He had not stepped outside once since their arrival, but that stench always managed to drift into the training area, and it was a nauseating distraction, which he could definitely do without. He would be sure to make a comment about this damn place to Orochimaru the next chance he got.

As it was, their training had been called short for the day, due to some new experiment the idiots simply _had_ to perform, and Sasuke found himself lying awake in bed, staring out the small window in his room. It was still early evening, of this he was certain, but, for some reason, the sky was much darker than usual. At first glance, he was tempted to attribute it to some quality of this marsh, but that explanation held no reason. After all, this had not been the case the past few nights.

Whatever, it was not as though it even mattered. He should not be worrying about it. If the sky decided it wanted to get dark earlier tonight, who was he to question it?

Sasuke turned over on his side, his back to the window, as he pulled his pillow underneath his head. Training to control the cursed seal was proving more difficult than he had initially suspected. However, Orochimaru assured him that it would only become more natural with the passage of time. Because of this, the Sannin had recently proposed moving forward with other training, namely sword training, insisting that the seal would take care of itself from this point onward. And so, just yesterday, Sasuke had conceded.

The Uchiha turned over on his back once more, focusing his dark eyes on the ceiling overhead, as he ran a hand absently through his hair. It had been two weeks since Orochimaru had chastised Kabuto. Since then, the Genin had grown even more intolerable, but, at the same, it was kind of amusing to watch him sit there and lick his wounds, trying to recover favor with his master.

And, of course, it had been two weeks since that daunting discovery. It was unnerving to even think about, but, at the same time, so many things had clicked together afterwards. So many things had come to make that much more sense. Not the least of which were all those stupid comments Kabuto and Orochimaru would make, about how he was the chosen one, about how important his body was, and even Orochimaru's own rebuking of Kabuto when he had learned that Kabuto may have injured that body.

Sasuke could not help but cringe at the thought.

"_You really think he'll give you power for free?! He just wants your body as a container! You might never come back! You might die! There's no way I could just let you go to a place like that!"_

The boy rolled his eyes at the sound of Naruto's screaming voice in his head. So, perhaps he should have taken what Naruto had told him a bit more literally. He had not been paying much attention at the time. In fact, he had trouble recalling the particulars of anything before Naruto had landed the first punch. Not that it would have made a difference. Actually, it may even have hindered the whole process if he had listened, since taking such a thing literally without the specifics, as Orochimaru and Kabuto had laid them out, may have discouraged him from leaving Konoha to begin with.

Now that he thought of it, though, why the hell had no one told him? Obviously, Naruto had been fully aware—Naruto, who really had no business knowing any of this—so why would it have been such an inconvenience for someone to tell _him_? Surely the Fifth, or even Kakashi could have told him. What the hell was the matter with those people? Naruto had been the only one who had mentioned anything about it!

Well, screw Konoha. They were a bunch of idiots, anyway. It was their own damn fault, and they meant nothing to him. Clearly, they knew nothing about how to run anything, and staying with them even another second would have been a mistake. The whole time he had spent there had been a waste. His older brother had been sure to show him _that_.

The boy heaved a sigh, again turning on his side, trying to find a more comfortable position in this bed. He pressed his eyes shut and buried his face in his pillow…

…

"_Alright, does everyone understand the purpose of this mission?"_

_Kakashi shifted his gaze from one student to the next. The four shinobi sat huddled around a campfire, an expanse of forest surrounding them, and dark clouds looming overhead._

_Sasuke responded with a simple grunt, "Hn."_

_From his peripheral, he caught sight of Sakura nodding her head, and, at the lack of response from a certain blond, the Uchiha turned his onyx gaze to rest on Naruto. He found that there was a large grin spread across his face, and he stared up at Kakashi with a blank, yet excited look in his bright blue eyes._

_A silence fell, in which everyone stared at Naruto, and Sasuke caught the distinct sound of an owl screeching. He had to hold back a smirk at the appropriateness of such a sound. It would have only been more appropriate if there had been actual crickets chirping._

_It was not long, however, before Sakura had lost her patience. "Answer the question, Naruto!" the girl snapped, and Sasuke glanced over at her briefly to notice that her eyebrow was twitching in annoyance. "Don't just sit there with that stupid smile on your face!"_

_In response, Naruto's smile only widened._

_Sasuke shook his head. Honestly, Naruto should know better by now than to try Sakura's patience. "What do you want to say, dobe?" he asked._

_In response, Naruto immediately exclaimed, "Kakashi-sensei! I don't understand the mission, dattebayo!"_

"_Why is that so funny, Naruto?" Sakura asked, her teal eyes narrowed in a glare._

"_It wasn't," the blond snickered. "I just made you think it was." Leaning toward his teammate with a cocky smirk, Naruto asked, "I tricked you, didn't I, Sakura-chan?"_

_Sakura immediately pushed the boy away from her, releasing a scoff, "As if! I knew what you were up to the whole time."_

_The Uchiha felt a smirk take hold of his expression, and he focused his dark eyes on the girl. "Then why didn't you say anything, Sakura?"_

"_Yeah, Sakura-chan," Naruto agreed, picking himself up and wiping the dirt off his ugly orange jumpsuit. "If you knew, you would've said something."_

"_Because we all know how much you love to brag about yourself," Sasuke added._

"_That's right, Sakura," he heard the sound of the Jounin's voice, and Sasuke glanced aside to see Kakashi's eyes closed in the characteristic way they always did when he smiled. "So…were you lying to us?"_

_Sasuke glanced back at Sakura with an amused smirk._

"_You, too, Kakashi-sensei?" the girl asked, staring up at her teacher sheepishly. However, her expression shifted to annoyance once more, and she answered shortly, "So what if I was? It's Naruto's fault for tricking me in the first place."_

"_Aha!" Naruto's booming voice sounded, and he pointed an accusing finger at the pinkette._

_Sakura shot him a scowl. "What, Naruto?"_

_Honestly, she was very dense sometimes. Therefore, Sasuke took it upon himself to inform the girl, "You just proved that he tricked you, Sakura."_

_Naruto leaned back with a triumphant grin. "Exactly, Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed. "You denied it before, but I tricked you again. Dattebayo!"_

"_You didn't plan that, dobe," Sasuke drawled._

"_Yes, I did, teme!" Naruto insisted, rounding on the Uchiha._

"_No, Naruto," Sakura immediately came to Sasuke's aid, and the boy shot her an annoyed look. Which, of course, she did not catch. "That was a complete accident. Sasuke-kun is right."_

"_Then it was a lucky accident, dattebayo!" the blond asserted._

"_Luck, huh?" Sasuke mused, already feeling his mind drift as he leaned back on the grass, his dark eyes fixed on the twinkling stars overhead. Such a foolish notion. It was completely absurd, to think there was such a thing as luck, as if there was some higher power looking out for them. He remained silent a moment, before stating, "There's no such thing."_

"_Sure there is, teme!" Naruto's voice was loud and excited as always. "You're reading too much into it. There's no explanation for luck. It's just there to help us out when we need it, dattebayo."_

"_That's why I'm saying it doesn't exist," Sasuke told him dryly. "There isn't anything to help us out. Only ourselves."_

_To his right, he heard Sakura ask, "Sasuke-kun?"_

_Her tone was dripping with worry. Stupid, annoying girl._

_Naruto was only laughing. "What's the matter, teme? You're talking funny!"_

_Sasuke released a sigh, pressing his eyes shut a moment, before pushing himself to his feet. Glancing over at the Jounin, he said simply, "I'm going to go train, Kakashi."_

_He did not wait for a response. He knew none would be given. Kakashi always seemed to have a better understanding of the inner workings of his students than he let on. Therefore, Sasuke walked away from the group, away from the warmth of the campfire, and into the shadows of the trees._

_Truth be told, he just needed to be alone. He needed to get away from them for a moment, to clear his head. When he had determined he had walked far enough, he stopped beside one of the trees and fell to a sitting position in front of it. He pressed his back against it for support, his dark eyes focused on the forest floor, and he began to trace a pattern of the leaves with his eyes._

_Luck._

_The Uchiha found himself releasing a scoff. There was no one looking out for him. There never had been. Who did Naruto think he was, trying to shove such a naïve ideal down their throats? Of course that boy would believe in luck. He had always been an obnoxiously persistent optimist. He had a sunny disposition, no matter the circumstance._

_It must be nice. Living life like that, going from day to day with a firm idea that, no matter what happens, everything will turn out alright in the end. Perhaps he should not try to shatter Naruto's happy little world. After all, in ignorance is bliss, and that boy was the epitome of bliss._

_With a slight smirk, Sasuke remarked quietly, "And ignorance."_

_However, whatever small amusement he had been entertaining instantly vanished at the sound of a distinct rumble. The Uchiha stiffened, his eyes widening only a fraction, and he lifted his head to stare up at the small patches of sky he could make out past the foliage._

_It was not long before rain came cascading through the trees, drenching the boy from head to foot, and the crash of thunder only grew louder. When a flash of lightning brightened the forest, accompanied by a particularly loud crack, Sasuke involuntarily cringed, wrapping his arms around himself and scowling down at the ground._

_There was no one looking out for him. No matter how much anyone tried to convince him of such a thing, it was a lie._

_Sasuke cringed again at the next wave of thunder._

_He had lost everything. He had no one. Only himself._

_Another strike of lightning lit the sky, and, as always, it was followed by an angry crash of thunder._

_And now even nature had decided to torment him._

…

A loud crash sounded, one that seemed to shake the very foundations of the room.

Sasuke's eyes flew open in a start, and he turned in his bed immediately to stare out the small window. Rain was pounding heavily against it, he could hear it pelting against the roof, and angry gusts of wind only hardened its downpour. He must have dozed off, because he could not possibly have been too lost in thought to overlook this onslaught.

When the storm rumbled again, the boy stiffened, tightening his grip on his blanket, but he forced his hand to relax when the sound passed. However, it was not long before another followed, and he gritted his teeth. Perhaps he had been right to wonder about the darkening sky, after all. It was not normal. He had known something was wrong.

Another clap of thunder shook the room.

Damnit, why did it have to storm? He hated thunderstorms. They always set him on edge. He hated this damn hideout. If they had gone somewhere else, he would not have to be privy to this stupid tempest. It was probably Kabuto's idea. He hated that annoying little piece of shit.

The Uchiha turned his back on the window, closing his eyes to block out the flashes of lightning, and clutching tighter at his pillow each time another shock of thunder pounded in his ears…

…

_The child bit his bottom lip, pulling his blanket further over his head, but it was not enough to block the noise. It was shaking the entire house. At this, Sasuke's eyes widened, and he peaked out from under his covers, his onyx gaze wandering over the walls and the roof. What if the house collapsed? If he was sleeping when that happened, he would not be able to get out._

_But, if he was with someone else, perhaps they could wake him up so he wouldn't be trapped?_

_At this, the boy fiddled nervously with the edge of his blanket. Every time it stormed, he ended up in someone else's room, and nothing ever happened. So, maybe nothing would happen this time. But then, if something _did_ happen, it was bound to happen the time something was different, right? So, if he stayed in his room this time, something might go wrong, and it could have been prevented if he had just followed his instinct and gone to someone else's room._

_But, that did not make any sense. How could he control the weather like that? He was just trying to excuse his own fears, his own desire to find comfort in someone else. To claim he could control the storm in any feasible way—_

_When another rumble shook the house, however, Sasuke abandoned all notion of logic and threw his blanket off, sprinting for the door. He rushed through the house, across the porch, hugging at the wall when a flash of lightning split the sky, and he made a dash for his parents' room when the thunder crashed._

_He did not mean to slam the doors the way he had, but it had roused his mother and his father. Though…maybe, hopefully they had already been awake? Maybe they were afraid of the storm, too?_

"_Sasuke?" Mikoto asked, her voice weary._

_At this, Fugaku shot up to a sitting position in bed, a frown already taking over his expression as he rested his dark eyes on the boy in his doorway. He crossed his arms in front of him, before demanding, "Is there something you want?"_

"_Um…," the boy's eyes fell to the floor, his face already burning in embarrassment. "Um…"_

"_Yes?" his father pressed, and Sasuke could detect the irritation in his tone._

"_I, um…can I sleep in here tonight?" the child asked, his voice barely above a whisper._

"_Speak louder, I can't hear you!" Fugaku demanded grouchily._

"_Sasuke, are you scared of the storm?" his mother's kind voice inquired._

_The boy hesitated a moment, but, when a crash of thunder sounded outside, his entire body stiffened. "Can I sleep in here?" he asked again._

"_You're scared of a little thunderstorm?" his father questioned. "That's shameful. Do you think your brother was ever scared of a little rain?"_

"_It…it's not the rain," Sasuke mumbled, his lip jutting out in a pout._

"_Your brother never came into our room, seeking any sort of consolation," Fugaku scolded his son. "You might say it's because he's older, but even when he was your age, he was never afraid of storms. You must learn to master that fear. A ninja knows no fear. Your brother knows this quite well."_

_Sasuke lifted his eyes, bringing them to rest on his mother, and he found that she was offering him a smile of encouragement._

"_Kaa-san?"_

"_You want to sleep in here tonight, Sasuke?" Mikoto asked._

_The child nodded his head slowly._

"_He will never master his fear if you constantly enable it," Fugaku turned his scrutinizing gaze on his wife. "Sasuke must go to his own room and bear with the storm. It is the only way he will learn to not let his fear control him."_

_Mikoto released a quiet sigh, before lying back down._

"_I'm going back to sleep," his father stated. "I suggest you do the same."_

_The young Uchiha deliberated in the doorway, his gaze falling to the ground once more. When a crash of thunder pounded against the house, he gritted his teeth, curling his hands into fists at his sides. _

"_Go back to bed," Fugaku instructed._

"_Okay," the boy mumbled, turning and closing his parents' door behind him. On his way back to his room, however, a particularly loud crack of thunder reverberated through the house, and he rushed in a different direction. However, to avoid the trouble he had encountered at the last room, he forced himself to slow in his pace._

_He came to a stop outside the door and pushed it open slowly, quietly. If his brother was asleep, he would just crawl into bed with him, so he had to be sure not to disturb him if this was the case. He took one step into the room, closed the door behind him, and then paused in front of it._

_It took half a second for him to realize his brother was still awake, and, when Itachi's gaze fell upon him, Sasuke's eyes dropped to the floor._

"_Sasuke?"_

_The child deliberated a moment, shifting awkwardly, not quite certain if this was the best idea. Perhaps he should have just gone back to bed, as his father had told him._

"_Nii-san…," he mumbled, lifting his eyes to take in Itachi's expression. He found his brother looking over at him with a soft smile, and it was enough to encourage Sasuke to ask, "Can I sleep with _you_ tonight?"_

"_Aa," Itachi replied, already moving over to make room on the bed._

_Sasuke smiled in relief, but it was short-lived. In that instant, another clap of thunder shook their house, and his eyes widened in alarm. He did not hesitate. He made a dart across the room, diving headfirst into the bed and pulling the warm comforter over himself, over his head. He buried his face within the confines of the blanket._

_He felt his brother pat him atop the head, as he assured him, "It's alright, Sasuke."_

_The young Uchiha peaked out from under the covers, only lowering the blanket enough so that he could glance up at Itachi. He hesitated a moment, before stating, "Nii-san…I really hate thunderstorms."_

"_I know you do," his older brother nodded his head, reaching out to wrap his arm around the child, and Sasuke managed to relax in the older boy's protective hold. "However," Itachi continued, "there really isn't any reason to hate them."_

_At this, Sasuke frowned. "They…," he paused, lowering his eyes again, before admitting, "scare me." With a slight shake of his head, he said, "And I don't like it."_

"_That's understandable," Itachi agreed with another nod. "No one likes to be scared."_

_His little brother considered this statement, calling to mind what his father had been saying, and he wondered if it was true. Did his brother really know no fear? Was that even possible?_

_Returning his dark eyes to rest on his older brother, Sasuke asked, "Does anything ever frighten _you_, Nii-san?"_

"_Aa," the older Uchiha answered. "There are many things that frighten me."_

"_There are?" Sasuke stared up at his brother in surprise. He had not expected that. If anyone was capable of mastering fear, it would be Itachi. Curiosity taking hold, the boy probed, "Like what?"_

"_Well," his older brother sighed, and his expression grew contemplative, the way it always did when he was lost in thought. Sasuke refused to turn his gaze, watching Itachi closely and awaiting further elaboration. However, when Itachi's eyes grew focused once more, a smile formed and he tapped his little brother on the forehead._

"_I fear for you," he informed him. "As your older brother, I will do anything I can to protect you. I also fear for the safety of our family, and for Konoha."_

"_Oh…," the boy could not help the smile. Every time Itachi told him he would protect him, he felt a newfound trust in his brother. And comfort. It was nice to know there was always someone looking out for him. At this, he recalled what Itachi had told him, the day they had been swimming, and Sasuke nearly drowned both of them. Itachi had told him that he would always be there to protect him, and he would not let him die._

_His smile slowly fading, Sasuke felt a new question prickling at his mind. "Are you also…afraid of dying?"_

"_Of course," Itachi replied, his tone soft, and he gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. "It's supposed to be that way, though."_

"_It is?" the child asked._

"_Aa," his brother smiled at him. "And it's because we fear death that we are able to appreciate our lives to a fuller extent."_

_That made sense. It was because they were going to die that life itself was precious. Because it was fleeting, and they were only able to experience it for a short time. So, it was alright to be afraid. After all, Itachi said it was supposed to be that way._

_Sasuke snuggled closer to his brother, resting his head on the older Uchiha's shoulder. When another crash of thunder sounded, he stiffened, but only slightly. Itachi had managed to calm him, as he always did, and he therefore felt less afraid of the roaring storm outside. He felt his older brother give him a comforting pat on the back and then readjust his own position._

_Glancing up at Itachi, the boy noticed his eyes were closed. He looked peaceful. Somehow, he always looked peaceful. No matter the circumstance, there was always an underlying calmness to him, a certain gentleness. And, when given the opportunity, it radiated onto those around him._

_The young Uchiha deliberated. In the silence that had fallen, his brother looked very peaceful, and he did not want to disturb him. However, there was something he wanted to tell him, something he thought Itachi should know. He bit his bottom lip, hesitating only a moment more, before making up his mind._

"_Nii-san?"_

"_Yes, Sasuke?" Itachi asked, and Sasuke smiled when that calm demeanor remained unbroken. He had not even opened his eyes._

_Letting his own eyes fall closed and snuggling comfortably beside his brother, the boy informed him, "I don't feel as scared when you're around."_

_He felt his older brother nod, before replying, "Aa, same here."_

…

Damn this stupid storm!

Sasuke shoved his blanket aside and shot to his feet, crossing the room in a fluster and jerking his bedroom door open. He slammed the door shut behind him and then made his way down the long hallway. If his calculations were correct, it was about 6 o'clock in the evening. Which meant that there would be people in the kitchen, preparing dinner.

True, Orochimaru and Kabuto were a bad distraction, but they were a distraction nonetheless, and he needed something to take his mind off this storm. And those stupid memories. He would much rather spend the evening with those two idiots than allow that bastard to plague his every thought.

By the time he reached the kitchen door, the Uchiha had adopted an impassive façade, and he pulled the handle. Well, at the very least, these two were predictable. Kabuto was standing in front of the stove, humming something to himself as he shuffled the contents in the pot back and forth with a large spoon, and Orochimaru sat at the head of the table, pouring over a pile of books. At the sound of the door, they both glanced up from what they were doing.

The Genin's face transformed into one of disdain, and his humming halted immediately. And, as usual, the Sannin's eyes widened in longing, and his mouth turned in an unnerving smile.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke-kun?" the medic asked shortly.

The boy focused his dull stare on the moron, and he arched a simple brow at him. "It's dinnertime, isn't it?"

"It is, indeed, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru agreed, licking his lips with his elongated tongue. "Do have a seat."

Sasuke crossed the room and took a seat, his onyx gaze fixed on the selection of books lying in front of him. Thunder rumbled outside, but he forced all signs of fear from his countenance, and the only possible indication that remained was how he curled his hands into fists in his lap. Thankfully, neither of these morons knew of his stupid phobia, and it was therefore not nearly enough to give him away.

"What are you reading?" he asked dryly.

"I am doing research for an experiment," the Snake Master informed him, and Sasuke held back the scoff. Orochimaru and his damn experiments.

A silence fell, in which another crash of thunder sounded, and Sasuke could not force back the scowl. It was ironic, really, that he had an affinity for lightning, when storms still managed to shake him like this. Had always managed to terrify him, in fact. When Kakashi had first told him, he had been mildly surprised, but, at the same time, he had felt a certain power swell within him. If he was able to master lightning, bring it under _his_ command, then there would be nothing left to fear. He could control it as he saw fit, and even use it against his enemies.

Well, creating a flow of Chidori through his arm was not exactly the same as a thunderstorm. He was such a child. Thinking he could control storms like that.

As Sasuke brought his attention back to the books in front of him, he felt a subtle curiosity rising in him. He lifted his dark eyes to rest on the Sannin beside him, and he regarded him in silence a moment. After tapping his forefinger against his knee in deliberation, he decided he might as well ask.

"Orochimaru," he addressed the man.

The older shinobi lifted his eyes from his book and awarded his pupil an attentive expression. "Yes, Sasuke-kun?"

"How much have you studied…on different lightning techniques?" the boy asked.

Orochimaru grinned, his sharp teeth protruding from his mouth, and he chuckled softly to himself. "Is this storm filling you with a certain yearning for power?"

"You could say that," Sasuke deadpanned.

"Well, I'm glad you asked," the Sannin informed him, not even bothering to mark his page before snapping the book shut. "I have actually done quite a bit of research in that area. Seeing as it's one of your elements, I need to know as much as I can so that I can train you properly."

The Uchiha offered a slight inclination of his head. "Alright, like what?"

"To begin, were you aware that the sword I gave you was actually a special sword?" Orochimaru questioned.

"Special, how?" Sasuke furrowed his brow slightly.

"It is a Sword of Kusanagi," the Sannin told him.

"By which, of course, Orochimaru-sama means one of the legendary spirit swords," Kabuto elaborated, taking a seat at the table as he handed a bowl of soup to each of the table's occupants.

"Thank you, Kabuto," Orochimaru smiled at his medic, before taking a bite of the meal. He inhaled a breath of satisfaction, before informing the man, "Delicious, as always."

"Why, thank you, Orochimaru-sama," the Genin's satisfied smile emerged, before beginning his own dinner.

"Alright, spirit sword, Sword of Kusanagi," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "What does that mean?"

"Unlike my sword of Kusanagi, which has natural attributes, such as the ability to cut through anything and extending as long as I wish, your sword doesn't have these abilities," Orochimaru informed him. "But, the blade is specifically designed in such a way that I knew would be perfect for your abilities."

"And what way is that?" the Uchiha pressed.

"With chakra flow, you will be capable of channeling your lightning chakra into the blade," the Sannin explained, and Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction in surprise. "This will not only greatly increase the sharpness of the blade itself, through high frequency vibrations, but it will also increase its cutting range. Which, essentially, will enable you to cut through almost anything, similar to my own sword. You will also be able to numb the target where they are pierced by this weapon. In a manner of speaking, it's a lightning blade."

"A lightning blade," Sasuke mused, as a smirk formed at the corner of his mouth. "Interesting."

Orochimaru released another throaty chuckle. "Interesting, indeed," he agreed. "As you progress in your training with the chokutō, I will teach you to use that particular technique."

The boy gave a slight inclination of his head, before focusing his dark eyes on the soup in front of him. The last time he had tried Kabuto's cooking, it had been disgusting. And it had given him a stomach ache for the rest of the night. He was not sure if he should chance it, no matter how appetizing this particular dish looked. Therefore, he simply swirled the contents back and forth with the spoon, but did not take a bite.

His grip on the utensil tightened, however, when another strike of lightning shook the kitchen. The lights overhead flickered for a moment, and went out, before returning to normal a second later.

"Rather nasty weather we're experiencing, isn't it, Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto mused between bites.

"I daresay it is, Kabuto," the Sannin nodded his head in agreement.

Sasuke stared down at the table, his eyes narrowing at the next crash of thunder, and he decided to just get the damn question out of the way. If he seemed childish, then hell, he was being childish. But he might as well ask, otherwise he would never know. And, if anyone knew the answer, it would be Orochimaru. After all, he seemed to know a great many things. He may be an idiot, and a sadistic maniac, and a particularly disturbing excuse for a human being, but he did possess throngs of knowledge, and he might as well utilize this.

"Orochimaru."

The Snake Master focused his eyes on the boy, his expression one of mild surprise. "My, Sasuke-kun, you're awfully conversational tonight," he remarked.

"Indeed," Kabuto nodded, and Sasuke noticed a certain contempt in his voice, despite the smile. "Is something the matter?"

Opting to ignore the idiot Genin, the Uchiha focused his stare on Orochimaru and asked, "Is it possible, at some level of the lightning element, to control a thunderstorm?"

He was awarded a grin and a fascinated look from the older ninja in front of him. "This storm truly _is_ filling you with a desire for power, Sasuke-kun!" he marveled at the boy. "In answer to your question, I believe you should know that there is, in fact, such a technique."

"There is?" Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction in astonishment.

"There is," Orochimaru replied. "It is a very special, very powerful technique, which takes an exceptional amount of skill to master. Considering your abilities and what you have proven thus far, I have no doubt you will be up to the challenge."

"What's the technique?" the young Uchiha demanded. "How soon can you teach me?"

"Eager, as always," the Sannin chuckled. "However, I cannot teach you just yet. You are not ready. The time will come, though, when you are, and then we will discuss this further."

Sasuke scowled at this, focusing his glare in the opposite direction. "At least tell me what the technique is," he instructed dryly.

"Sasuke-kun, are you presuming to tell Orochimaru-sama what to do?" Kabuto asked, clearly taking offense, but his master only chuckled again.

The Uchiha glanced over to find Orochimaru staring at him with captivated eyes, and he man again licked his lips. "Kabuto, can't you see the child is curious?" he said, his voice low and full of wonder. "He seeks power. He will stop at nothing to attain as much as possible, as swiftly as he can."

"Just tell me," Sasuke rolled his eyes at the man.

After another of his unnerving laughs, the Sannin finally began his explanation, "It is a technique which is completely unavoidable. It is impossible to dodge. The reason is quite simple: lightning is faster than even the speed of sound, it can reach the ground in a millisecond. Because you will be directing it, you can have it strike wherever, or whoever you so desire. This attack has another special quality, as well, though. You don't even need to use your own chakra energy."

At this, the Uchiha furrowed his brow, "How does that work?"

"An excellent question, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru gave a slight nod of his head. "If you are in the midst of a storm, you can simply utilize the enormous energy of the atmosphere. After all, it's compatible with the lightning element. If it's not storming, you have a unique advantage over others who wield the lightning element, because you also have your fire techniques. You can use the fire element to rapidly heat up the atmosphere, by aiming it into the sky, creating a powerful rising air current, in order to form the necessary thunder clouds. When this happens, lightning will strike down from the heavens, and, at that point, all you have to do is guide its power."

"So," Sasuke began slowly, excitement welling up inside him, "not only can I control a storm, through my lightning technique, but I can even create one, with my fire."

"Precisely," the Snake Master replied, a grin slowly forming the longer he stared at the boy. "The strike itself is in the form of a lightning dragon. And the name of the technique is Kirin."

"Kirin," Sasuke mused.

"Ahem," Kabuto used his finger to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "It means _mystical unicorn_."

What the hell? Sasuke glanced over to award the Genin a mildly annoyed look. Why had Kabuto felt a need to even open his stupid mouth? It was not as though he was actually contributing to this conversation, except to make a fool of himself. And…wait a second, was that the middle finger he was using to fix his glasses?

He blinked twice, before letting his gaze rest on the table once more. Yes, that was definitely the middle finger.

Fighting the smirk, Sasuke could not help but wonder just how upset Kabuto was with him. After all, it was, in a sense, because of Sasuke that his precious master had yelled at him. He would even go so far as to say that Kabuto might be jealous of him, considering how much time and attention Orochimaru spent on _the chosen one_. Such a ridiculous reason to be upset. But he really was very possessive, wasn't he?

A clap of thunder sounded throughout the hideout.

Though Sasuke did stiffen slightly, and his hand clenched in a fist, he felt a sudden urge of excitement. The prospect of being able to tame lightning, to tame a storm, and to call and direct it at will, all for the sake of striking it into his enemy, gave him a whole new perspective on this force of nature. It may be true that he had no one looking out for him, no one watching over him, that he had only himself, but just having himself was more than enough. He did not need anyone or anything else. He would take care of himself.

And soon, very soon, he would be in control of these damn thunderstorms.


	13. Kabuto's Day - Part I and II

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter XIII

"Kabuto's Day – Part I"

…

"Sasuke-kun!"

Well, it was official. He hated them.

"Sasuke-kun!"

What was it they had against sleep, anyway?

"Wake up, Sasuke-kun!"

"Agh!"

Sasuke shot up with a start, holding his hand to his side, before slamming his free arm against the moron's leg, causing him to completely lose his balance and topple over. It took a moment for Kabuto to regain his footing, at which time he cleared his throat and looked down upon the boy with a self-satisfied smile.

"Good, you're up," the imbecile remarked.

"What did Orochimaru tell you about kicking me?" the Uchiha drawled, narrowing his eyes into a glare.

"That's beside the point," the Genin waved it off with a nonchalant brush of his hand. "More importantly, today is about me."

Sasuke stared up at the man blankly.

Frowning at the lack of response, Kabuto tsked the boy, and informed him, "It's my birthday, Sasuke-kun."

"Your birthday?" the younger shinobi furrowed his brow. "What day is it?"

"My birthday is February 29th," the Genin stated. "However, since there is no February 29th this year, Orochimaru and I have decided that we shall be celebrating my birthday on both February 28th and March 1st as compensation. As such, feel free to give me a present on both days."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, turning over in bed and burying his face in his pillow. Like hell he was going to give him a present. Kabuto could claim it was his birthday all he wanted, that did not mean the Uchiha was required, by any means, to give the idiot any fuller attention than usual or even take part in whatever ludicrous festivities they undoubtedly had planned.

Within a matter of seconds, however, he felt another jab in his side, and he clenched his fist with a scowl.

"Kabuto," he said, in a low, deadly tone, "touch me one more time, and see what happens."

A brief silence ensued, during which time Kabuto, clearly, called to mind the scolding from his dear Orochimaru-sama and proceeded to simply say, "Ahem…yes, well, get up."

"Why?" Sasuke asked dryly, not budging an inch.

"Because, it's my birthday, and I said so," the medic replied.

At this, the Uchiha lifted his head to award Kabuto an incredulous look. Because he said so? _Really_? That was his answer?

"Kabuto," the boy asked slowly, "how old are you turning?"

Because he was acting like he was 5.

"Why, thank you for asking, Sasuke-kun," the moron smiled pleasantly. "As a matter of fact, I'm turning 21 this year."

"21," Sasuke repeated. After a moment, he only smirked, before setting his head back on his pillow and closing his eyes. "How nice for you."

"Sasuke-kun, you need to get up!" Kabuto demanded. "I have quite a lot planned for today, and we must get started at once. We cannot delay, not even a moment, otherwise we will be placed considerably behind schedule."

He had devised a schedule for his own birthday? Good lord, what the hell was the matter with this guy?

"Isn't someone else supposed to organize your birthday?" the Uchiha drawled.

"Oh, don't be absurd, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto released an amused laugh. "There is not a single person better equipped for handling such matters than myself. Why, just ask Orochimaru-sama. The last party I hosted was a smashing success! But then, I wouldn't expect you to understand such matters. After all, you've only been with us a short while, and you're still getting used to everything."

Sasuke rolled his eyes beneath his closed lids, but offered no response.

"But, enough about that!" the Genin exclaimed. "Come, Sasuke-kun! I've prepared a marvelous breakfast for us all!"

He had prepared his own breakfast for his own birthday? He really did have a problem. But then, Kabuto was something of a perfectionist when it came to such frivolous matters. Frivolous matters, in general, actually. Oh well. It was not his problem, Kabuto could be hindered by his own ridiculous mindset to his heart's content. Sasuke could honestly not care less.

"Get up!"

Releasing a quiet sigh, the boy lifted his head and focused his annoyed gaze on the Genin in front of him. "You're not going to stop until I get up, are you?" he reasoned in a dry tone.

"Heh," Kabuto lifted his hand and pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose, and Sasuke again noticed the man was using his middle finger. "I can't presume to know _what_ you're referring to, Sasuke-kun."

* * *

Lilac.

The entire kitchen was drenched in that ridiculous color. Streamers fell between rafters in the ceiling and over the doorway and windows. A tablecloth of the same color had been thrown over the table, and the usual dishes were replaced with plastic, lilac ones. Food coloring had been used to dye the milk a light purple, and it had been mixed in with the pancakes Kabuto had prepared.

To be honest, it was one of the ugliest sights he had ever seen.

It was not that there was necessarily anything wrong with the color lilac. But when it jumped out at you from every direction, and when it was the only color you could see, and when you had grown accustomed to associating the color with a certain annoying presence, it really did make the whole scene that much more displeasing to the eye. And obnoxious.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru's jagged teeth protrude from his mouth as his lips turned in a grin. "How did you sleep?"

"Terribly," the Uchiha drawled.

"Oh?" Kabuto took his place at Orochimaru's side with a pleasant smile, first grabbing a plate for himself and then handing one to his master. As he began piling purple pancakes onto his stupid lilac plate, he asked, "Why was that, Sasuke-kun?"

"Some four-eyed dumbass decided to start kicking me at 6 in the morning," Sasuke replied dryly.

"Kabuto," the Sannin focused his snake eyes on his medic, "I do believe we've discussed the matter of kicking my dear Sasuke-kun."

_His _Sasuke-kun? Who the hell did Orochimaru think he was?

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto nodded his head, purposefully keeping his gaze fixed on the knife in hand as he buttered his pancakes. "I suppose I was just filled with such excitement for today that I couldn't help myself. I will remember in the future."

Bullshit.

"Dear Kabuto," the Snake Master chuckled softly. "You are always such an excitable person. It never ceases to amuse."

The Genin joined in his master's chuckling, passing the breakfast tray to Orochimaru and then proceeding to drench his meal in syrup, as always. As they began Kabuto's birthday breakfast, Sasuke let his dark eyes wander the hideous kitchen, in search of something edible. He was not entirely certain if it was intentional or simply pure coincidence, but everything at the table was something he hated. Except the milk, of course, but the mere color made it distasteful. No matter, this was Kabuto's damn birthday, so the idiot was clearly free to do whatever the hell he wanted. Orochimaru did not seem inclined to question anything today.

Sasuke opened the fridge and rummaged through it a moment, before leaning against the door and forcing back the sigh. They were out of apples. He would need to put that on the list, the next time their medic finally decided to venture to the store again. Shutting the refrigerator, the Uchiha pulled open the nearest cabinet, but he stared into its contents with a scowl. Out of bread, too, apparently.

Whatever. He did not have much of an appetite, as it was.

The boy proceeded to walk back to the table and take a seat, as far removed from those two as possible, before folding his arms in front of him and staring blankly at the purple milk.

"When shall we expect everyone?" Orochimaru was currently asking his subordinate.

"That will be tomorrow," Kabuto replied. "Today, it will just be us, so I laid out a few plans. Here, take a look." At this, the Genin retrieved a small notebook from his side-pouch and handed it to Orochimaru, who accepted it with a slight inclination of his head.

The Sannin opened it to the marked page, before pouring over the words inscribed. "Kabuto," he lifted his head, a distinct glint in the corner of his eye, "this is superb."

As usual, the idiot accepted his praise with a self-satisfied smile, and then began to divulge, "Of course, I left the actual means of transmutation open. I know that's your favorite part."

"Kabuto," Orochimaru's fond smile returned, "you know me so well."

"I make it my business to know everything," Kabuto pointed out.

Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction, and he could not contain the laughter forming in his throat. When the two imbeciles turned their dumbfounded gazes on the shinobi, he forced it back and gave a slight wave of his hand.

"By all means," he assured them, "continue."

"Something amusing, Sasuke-kun?" the medic-nin arched a single brow.

The Uchiha emulated his usual impassive demeanor, before offering a shake of his head. "Not particularly."

At first, Kabuto continued to stare at him suspiciously, but the Sannin pulled his attention back to whatever the hell he had written in that absurd book of his, and they continued their discussion. Sasuke took it upon himself to try to tone them out, but it was proving a rather difficult task. Why was it that his mind always wandered when he didn't want it to, yet now, when it might actually come in handy, he couldn't seem to get away from the present?

But then, perhaps it was not such a bad thing. It really was debatable which was worse: listening to these two, or listening to his own thoughts.

"Perhaps we could try a shark this time, Orochimaru-sama," the Genin was currently suggesting, though what about, the young Uchiha really had no idea.

"Ahh, truly a splendid suggestion, Kabuto," Orochimaru nodded in approval. "And which test subject do you suggest?"

"Well, I did notice a certain quality about Xi'lba that might suggest he's compatible," Kabuto informed his master, and the Sannin smiled again.

"Kabuto," he marveled, "you truly will never fail me, will you?"

"Orochimaru."

The two glanced over at the sound of that dull tone, one with a look of annoyance, and the other with a look of pure fascination, and Sasuke had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at their predictable reactions.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?" the Snake Master asked.

Focusing his onyx gaze on the Sannin, Sasuke questioned, "Is our training canceled the next two days?"

"Now that you mention it," Kabuto began, lifting his book in hand and perusing the page with his eyes, "I don't believe it happened to fit anywhere in the schedule I prepared. That shouldn't be a problem, though, I'm sure. Consider it an opportunity to relax."

"I didn't come here to relax," Sasuke snapped at the idiot.

"No need for worry, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru assured him with a low, throaty chuckle. "We will commence your training on the 2nd. When it comes time for _your_ birthday, I assure you, we will do exactly as you wish. But, as it is, these two days have been specifically set aside for dear Kabuto."

"Thank you, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto grinned in response as he fixed his glasses.

"Of course, Kabuto," the Sannin gave a slight inclination of his head, and the chuckle continued.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the pair of them, before returning his focus to the table. Well, that was just fine. If Orochimaru refused to train him, he would just train on his own for the time being. Perhaps this would be advantageous, in the long run, as he would have to get used to it at some point. Considering.

"Why, Sasuke-kun!" the Genin claimed his attention with that obnoxious voice of his. "Are you not planning to eat?"

"No," the Uchiha responded dryly. "I hate sweets."

"Oh, that's right," Kabuto released a light laugh, but Sasuke noticed the vindictive smile the medic was awarding him. "It must have slipped my mind."

Within his folded arms, Sasuke clenched his concealed hand in a fist. Annoying little piece of shit.

* * *

He leaned his back against the wall, waiting irritably for the stupid panting to subside. He tightened his grip on the kunai in either hand and pressed his eyes shut, before immediately forcing them open and pushing away from the wall. He gathered chakra in his soles, launched himself in the air and had sent the first few kunai at their respective targets in a matter of a split-second. He had the next set ready, threw them in the appropriate directions, before taking the last two and sending them through the air.

Damnit.

He had messed up. He had thrown them wrong, he could tell. At the last second, he had released one too soon. It clashed against its mark at the wrong angle, and neither hit their intended targets. Of the other six, four had landed directly in the middle of the targets, but the last two were slightly off-center.

Sasuke landed on his feet, his hands clenched in fists at either side, as he scowled down at the ground. This was the tenth time, and he had made no progress from the first. In fact, the third time he had managed to launch six of them dead-center. Which meant this was not improvement. It was not even consistency. It was just a matter of luck, not skill.

He clasped his hands together, drew a sharp intake of breath, and then released it as he rushed through the hand seals.

Too slow.

He formed the seals again, but it was still not fast enough. He tried again, and again. Finally, when he was satisfied, he took a deep inhale and then let it out.

"_Katon, Housenka no Jutsu_!"

He focused his chakra, directing each flame. They leapt through the air under his command, crashing against their targets, and Sasuke lowered his hands to inspect the damage. With a slight smirk, he noted that each had hit the center of their intended targets. Good.

In one swift movement, the Uchiha drew his blade and again focused his chakra at his soles, leaping through the air and slashing the nearest target. He pushed against the pillar, launching himself toward the next one. He repeated the process, concentrating on speed, until he had cut away each of the targets and landed, once more, in the center of the training room.

The boy lowered his sword into its sheath, and then leaned forward, resting his palms against his knees as he paused to catch his breath. His chakra supply was low. He had been training nonstop for the past few hours, had already released the customary number of Chidori, had practiced using the cursed seal in different increments, and had even gone through the usual sets of push-ups Orochimaru insisted he go through at the onset of almost every session.

That was enough.

At least, for the moment. He would take a break, and then come back. As it was, the lack of breakfast was starting to catch up with him, and it was already several hours past noon. Giving a decisive nod of his head, the young Uchiha straightened himself and then turned to exit the training room. As he shut the doors behind him, however, an idea occurred to him, and, rather than heading for the kitchen, he instead made his way down the hall in the opposite direction.

This hideout, for all its ridiculous shortcomings, did have one perk: there was a particularly extensive library. No doubt, it contained a number of volumes on jutsu, and, most likely, a few of those would include lightning-based jutsu. It would be advantageous for him to study on his own, to learn and develop different techniques out of Orochimaru's knowledge. And today was an excellent opportunity.

With a distant smirk, Sasuke thought to himself, 'I can even do it over a bowl of ramen.'

When he reached the library door, he thrust it open, but he regretted it a moment too late. He had known they were experimenting, Kabuto's sadistic face was easy to ready, but what possible train of thought would have led him to assume they were conducting them in the library? Then again, what was the point in even trying to question their logic? They had no logic.

Several bodies lined the floor. A select few had been decapitated, another had missing limbs, but each and every one of them had been ripped open, and key organs had been removed. Currently, the two were standing on either side of a table, atop which another body lay. It was quite obvious, however, that this particular specimen was still alive, not only from the lack of torn innards, but from the blood-curdling cry he was emitting, which echoed off the walls of the open room.

As for the source of the man's distress…well, that was obvious, too.

There was a sharp, rotating buzz-saw in Orochimaru's hands, which he was pressing down against the victim's shoulder. Kabuto, who was standing opposite him, only looked on with that sickly pleasant smile. Blood splattered through the air, and a sudden crunch sounded, a sound which Sasuke could only assume meant that the Sannin had cut through bone. When the arm was completely severed, the saw was lowered, lowered to the victim's pelvis, and the screams began anew. The blood was drenching the tormenters, but they did not seem the least bit affected by it. Rather, it urged them to continue in the process, feeding their atrocious appetites.

And, as Sasuke turned and fled from the scene, he could feel his own appetite dissolve. In its place, a sick, nauseated feeling formed in his gut, one he could feel taking hold of him, but he fought that retching sensation. That is, at least until he stumbled into his bathroom and made a dash for the toilet.

As he gagged over what little substance was left in his stomach, the Uchiha pressed his eyes shut.

Those bastards. Those sick, insane, stupid, pitiless, sadistic bastards. What the hell could they possibly gain from putting so many lives through so much torture? And how could they possibly find pleasure in that whole, disturbing practice? It took someone who was truly heartless to find pleasure in the pain of others. In that sense, they were no different than Itachi.

Sasuke lifted his head, his brow furrowed in disgust and his arms wrapped around his abdomen, as he leaned against the wall. He was out of breath, and though the taste in his mouth was vile, he could not seem to force himself to his feet. Had he known what he would encounter, he would not have depleted himself of chakra beforehand.

Bastards. The lot of them. They took what they wanted, with no regard for human life. None whatsoever. As long as they got what they wanted…

…

_The child fought to exert strength in his small hand, trying to grasp something, anything. He extended it, reaching toward his brother._

"_Why…?" he asked, his voice quiet, broken, his vision hazy. This didn't make sense. None of it made sense. "Why, Nii-san?"_

"_To measure the height of my capacity," the older Uchiha's voice was cold, abrupt. Completely absent of feeling._

"_I don't understand…," the small boy muttered, his mind in a state of disorientation. "Just for that…," he was choking over his words, "…just for that, you killed everyone?"_

_And his older brother gave his detached response, "It was necessary."_

…

Necessary!

Sasuke's jaw locked, and he gritted his teeth.

Necessary…

Was that why Kabuto and Orochimaru were experimenting on countless, innocent victims? Because it was necessary in obtaining the end they desired, in reaching the height of their capacity? In this instance, as much knowledge as possible about whatever suited their fancy?

It was despicable. Completely despicable. They were worthless, pathetic excuses for human beings.

The Uchiha bowed his head, clenching his hands in fists, and he decided that, no matter what, he _had_ to become stronger than Orochimaru. He would reach a point at which the contemptible Snake Master had nothing further to teach him, nothing he _could_ teach him. Sasuke would exhaust his knowledge, perfect every technique, and, when the time came, surpass the Legendary Sannin. And then, then, when Orochimaru believed it was time to take his body, when he was sitting securely upon his damnable plans, his inaccessible future vessel would kill him. Him, and his idiot medic.

Sasuke took a moment to compose himself, pressing his eyes shut and shaking his head of that gruesome image, before forcing his feet to support him. He flushed the mess he had left in the toilet, and then walked to the sink, where he turned the knob and drenched his rancid mouth in the cold water.

* * *

Well, one meal was better than no meal at all.

The shinobi tossed his bowl in the sink, paying no heed to where it landed, or if it took any damage, and not bothering to wash it. Kabuto could take care of that. It was the least Sasuke could do for that moron. He _was_ supposed to give him a present today, right?

He pushed the kitchen door open and then dragged his feet down the hall. It was not long before he reached his room, where he immediately slammed the door shut behind him and then fell into bed. It may be early evening, and there may be more he could accomplish, but the events of the day had left him lethargic. In all honesty, he was exhausted.

And he knew the following day would be equally, if not even more exhausting.

The Uchiha released a quiet sigh, turning his head and burying his face in his pillow. _Of course_ Kabuto's birthday had to be February 29th. And _of course_ he and Orochimaru had to arrange to celebrate it for two days. Two full days, dedicated to whatever sick fantasies Kabuto decided he wanted to indulge. As if this place was not unstable enough!

At breakfast, they had mentioned something about _expecting everyone_ tomorrow. Who exactly were they expecting?

With a slight shake of his head, Sasuke decided he did not particularly care. Since it was Kabuto, it would be impossible to guess. He only hoped it was not some new shipment of specimens for the sadistic coward to dig his scalpel into to his heart's content. Though, truth be told, it would not be all that surprising.

Sasuke pulled the blanket over himself, bringing it up to his neck and then snuggling within it, in attempt to find the most comfortable position. However, it did not take long before he gave up on the fruitless effort, settling for his previous position, and he released an exasperated breath in his pillow. This whole place was stupid. Those two were complete idiots. They did not even know how to properly design a bed. They should spend less time focusing on that stupid forbidden jutsu of theirs and instead pay attention to things around them. It was no wonder they were so damn stupid!

His last thought lingering on the blood-spattered victim from that afternoon, Sasuke drifted out of consciousness.

* * *

Chapter XIII

"Kabuto's Day – Part II"

…

The Uchiha lifted his eyes, which had already shifted to crimson at the sound of that obnoxiously familiar voice calling his name, and he turned them on the smiling face of the idiot Genin. The man lifted his hand and extended his middle finger. He delayed a moment, before lifting his index finger as well. At first, the boy thought it might be a sign of victory. But then, realization struck, and so did the immediate repulsion.

"Day two, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto stated.

Sasuke stared up at him blankly a moment, slowly letting his Sharingan dissipate into the usual blackness, before narrowing his eyes into a glare. "I hate you."

"My, my," Kabuto shook his head with a tsk. "It looks like _someone_ woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

"I always sleep on this side," Sasuke remarked tonelessly.

"Well," the medic-nin's smile widened, and he looked the boy up and down, "that explains it, doesn't it?"

* * *

"What's your favorite animal, Orochimaru-sama?"

They were again sitting around this stupid lilac table for the first meal. Kabuto was still preparing breakfast, and, as he cooked, he had taken it upon himself to question his master, firing several questions as he flipped the omelet in the air and then caught it in the frying pan.

"Surely," the Sannin awarded his medic a bemused look, "you know the answer."

"Well, I didn't want to make any false assumptions," Kabuto replied with a slight chuckle.

"Kabuto," Orochimaru awarded him a smile. "You always do consider all possibilities, don't you? In that case, my favorite animal is, in fact, the white-scaled snake."

"Of course," the Genin nodded his head.

"And what of yours?" his master returned.

"Mine?" Kabuto glanced over his shoulder to award Orochimaru a curious look. "I'm a little torn. You see, I have always had a certain fondness for dolphins, but, at the same time, I do believe I prefer mice."

"Mice," the Sannin mused, slowly, deliberately. "And why is that?"

"Well, they're really quite intelligent creatures, and," here, the sadistic idiot allowed a grin to overtake his countenance, "they're much easier to experiment on."

"Practical, as always, Kabuto," Orochimaru remarked, his tone flattering. As the customary self-satisfied look formed on Kabuto's face, the Snake Master averted his glowing, yellow eyes to the boy at the table beside him. "And you, Sasuke-kun? What is your animal of preference?"

Sasuke gave a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders in response.

"Now, now," Kabuto awarded him a stern expression. "Don't act like that. You did the same thing when we asked about your favorite color, and it turned out you had one of those, too. So, Sasuke-kun…answer Orochimaru-sama. What's your favorite animal?"

"I have no reason to tell either one of you," the boy drawled.

"Well," the Genin lifted his eyes to the ceiling in thought, "look at it this way, Sasuke-kun. Orochimaru-sama is your teacher. As such, he need to know as much about you as possible, thereby to properly train you. Also, I'd say you owe him a fair bit, considering he is, after all, training you. What if he were to stop?"

"If he stopped, I would leave," Sasuke replied shortly. "Since the only reason I'm here is to train under him, there really would be no further purpose if it ended."

"Always so ungrateful," Kabuto shook his head with an irritated tsk, before turning his attention back to the stove.

Orochimaru's raspy voice continued, as if there had been no interruption, "Well, Sasuke-kun…_do_ you have a favorite?"

The Uchiha could feel his hands curling into fists, and he averted his dark gaze from the pair of them, focusing instead on the door, as he stated, "That's none of your concern."

"Is it not?" the Sannin licked his lips with his elongated tongue.

"No," Sasuke shot back. "It's not."

"Oh, dear!"

The young shinobi had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at Kabuto's obvious attempt at bringing attention back to himself. Honestly, could he be any more obvious? Nevertheless, both the Snake Master and his pupil turned their attention to the medic by the stove, only to find the man was currently rummaging through the fridge.

"We're out of milk," the Genin informed them.

"Drink something else," Sasuke instructed, his tone bored.

"I don't think you understand, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto released a heavy sigh. "I wanted cereal. I can't have cereal without milk." His eyes widening suddenly, a smile found its way to the medic-nin's face, and he turned his gaze to rest on the Uchiha at the table. "Sasuke-kun," he began, his tone light, pleasant, conversational, "how would you like to make a run to the store?"

"No," the boy replied immediately.

"But, I want cereal, I have this craving, and it's my birthday," the Genin pointed out, closing the fridge door and crossing his arms in front of him.

"I don't give a damn about any of that," Sasuke stated. "Go to the store yourself."

"Sasuke-kun! I can't possibly go to the store myself!" Kabuto looked aghast. "It's my _birthday_. No, no. Someone else will have to go. So…go to the store and pick up some milk."

"No," Sasuke repeated.

It did not matter how many times the idiot asked, he was _not_ going to the store for him. And he certainly was not going to give into a request given him by _Kabuto_.

The man released a melodramatic sigh, leaning his back against the counter, as he lowered his dismal stare to the omelet in the frying pan. "You know that feeling you get," he said, his voice sounding hollow, "when you really want something, and, because of that, you're not in the mood for anything else? Nothing else even looks appealing, even though it would under normal circumstances. And nothing else will satisfy. You can't even get that yearning desire out of your head…"

"Kabuto," the Uchiha narrowed his eyes in a glare, "I really don't give a damn about anything you have to say. I don't feel sorry for you _at all_."

"No, I suppose you wouldn't," Kabuto heaved another sigh, before scooping the omelet onto a plate and walking across the kitchen to hand it to Orochimaru. "Here you are, Orochimaru-sama."

"Thank you, Kabuto," the Sannin gave a slight nod of his head, his entire focus centered on the breakfast in front of him. Within seconds, he was digging into the meal with his tongue, covering every inch of egg in his saliva, and Sasuke, again, found himself staring at the older man in disgust.

"That's how I would like to feel," the imbecilic Genin remarked, as he crossed the room back to the fridge. "If only someone would go to the store."

This time, Sasuke did not even afford the idiot a response. He had said quite enough on the matter, and he was tired of listening to Kabuto's attempted guilt-trips.

"I suppose no one cares about me," Kabuto continued, as he scooped himself a plateful of fried eggs. "I guess I'll just have to eat _this_. The store isn't even very far away. If only everyone in this place wasn't so selfish. Except you, of course, Orochimaru-sama. You're perfectly magnanimous. I was referring to…_other_ people."

Kabuto sat himself beside his master at the table, at first playing listlessly with his food, poking his fork into it on occasion. But finally, after several moments, the moron finally began his meal. However, it was a little louder than necessary. It was as if he was taking extra care to enhance the sound of every bite, a means to further extend the guilt-trip.

"This is good," the medic mused between bites, nodding his head vigorously. His eyes were locked on Sasuke, and there was an obvious vindictiveness underlying his words. "I would still like some milk with it. That'd be nice."

The young Uchiha rolled his eyes at his passive-aggressive remark, turning his attention instead to Orochimaru, but he was a little surprised at what he beheld. The Sannin was glancing back and forth between both Sasuke and Kabuto, his own expression one of excessive amusement, and he was clearly fighting a laugh.

Sasuke simply rolled his eyes again.

* * *

Well, as it turned out, the other people Orochimaru and Kabuto had been expecting were not experiments, after all. Quite the contrary. They were jailers from various hideouts. They had arrived late afternoon, and, when Sasuke had been dragged along and forced to greet them, he noticed the banner stretched across the hideout entrance:

"_Happy Birthday, Kabuto!"_

And, of course, the banner was lilac, and the words themselves were written in dark purple. He was so sick of looking at that damn color.

Currently, everyone was sitting around the large dining area—an area the three shinobi rarely made us of, mainly for the simple convenience of the kitchen—and Kabuto was lounging comfortably in the chair at the head of the table. The young Uchiha had placed himself as far from that moron as he could manage, and he was currently sitting with his arms crossed his in front of him as he scowled at the opposite wall. He had not bothered to pay attention to anyone's names. After all, what did these people matter? They were all Orochimaru's pawns.

Therefore, he had no idea who the person was when a young man, a little older than him, approached and claimed the seat to his right.

"Hey," he greeted.

Sasuke simply turned his dull stare to rest on the man beside him, to show he had heard him.

"Uchiha Sasuke, isn't it?" the man asked, a friendly smile in place.

Still, Sasuke afford this nameless pawn no answer.

"You must feel very honored," he continued, his eyes wandering to the ceiling in obvious admiration. "Orochimaru-sama chose _you_, out of everyone. You were hand-picked. What's more, he took upon himself to _train_ you. That's something he's never done before, not with anyone." A brief silence fell between them, until, finally, the man brought his gaze to rest on the Uchiha once more. At first, he simply stared at him in fascination, tilting his head to one side, before remarking, "You must be something very special, indeed."

_Special_.

Sasuke almost scoffed at the word. If having your body coveted by some snake bastard qualified as _special_, then yes. Yes, he was special. He knew that was what this pawn was referring to—the fact that Orochimaru wanted him, wanted his powers. Why were all of these people so obsessed with that creep, anyway?

"Sasuke-kun!"

The Uchiha held back the sigh at that raspy voice, instead averting his dull stare to rest on the Sannin standing behind him, and he arched a single questioning brow in response.

"Will you move to sit with as at the head?" Orochimaru asked, gesturing at said area.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. Right, because he was about to move any closer to _Kabuto_. Or Orochimaru, for that matter. No. No, he was the perfect distance where he was, and he was not about to move. He proceeded to drawl, "I think I prefer this spot."

The Sannin proceeded to run his tongue along the surface of his lips, and Sasuke had to resist the urge to cringe. Was it just his imagination, or did Orochimaru actually seem even more desirous of him when he stood against the man? As if, the older ninja thought he was that much more appealing when he was in a state of insurgence? Either way, it was unnerving.

"Very well, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru leaned forward to whisper in his ear, and, at this sudden change, Sasuke could no longer fight the look of disgust. "I leave you here, then." After extending his tongue once more, almost touching the boy with it as he did so, the Snake Master then retracted it with a spray of saliva and returned to the head of the table, where an eager Kabuto awaited him.

Well, there really was no point in denying the truth. Orochimaru creeped the hell out of him sometimes.

"_Very_ special," he heard the man beside him remark, and the Uchiha found himself resisting the urge to roll his eyes. What the hell was with this guy, anyway?

"It's time to bring out the cake!" someone further down the table exclaimed.

A loud cheer of consensus rang out amongst the pawns, and the lights in the room were immediately shut off. From the open doorway, a dim illumination began to emerge, someone carrying the customary birthday cake, and the crowd began to divulge in singing.

A slight pause followed, afterwhich the candles were blown out, the lights were flicked back on, and a loud applause filled the room. Slices of the cake were passed down the table. Everyone looked quite pleased with themselves.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in annoyance. Morons. The lot of them.

He was so preoccupied with staring at the wall and ignoring everything around him that he was completely unprepared for the distinct kick to the back of his leg. Rounding his glare on the idiot medic, he found the man staring down at him with that stupid self-satisfied expression.

"I apologize, but I just _had_ to get your attention," the Genin stated, as if it was obvious. "But, enough of that. Did you want some of my birthday cake, Sasuke-kun?"

"No," the young Uchiha clenched his hand at his side. This damn bastard. "I hate sweets."

"Oh, that's right," Kabuto grinned, before lifting his middle finger to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I must have forgotten."

Sasuke felt his eye twitch.


	14. Time Killer

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter XIV

"Time Killer"

…

Well, it seemed there really was no end to their nonsensicality. Since the onset of spring, the simply _ingenious_ medic had taken to insisting they all go for a walk, as it was, after all, beneficial to one's health to get fresh air from time to time. And, as seemed to be custom, the Sannin would always agree. Every week, in fact. Every damn Sunday. And, as always, Orochimaru insisted that his pupil accompany them.

And so, once again, Sasuke found himself in their presence, because, once again, Kabuto had urged them to take a walk, and, once again, Orochimaru had forced him to join them. So, once again, the three shinobi trudged uselessly through a wide, open field at a leisurely pace. For no reason. Whatsoever.

It was the second week of May. They had returned to the hideout Kabuto had initially chosen, the location in the forest with the exceptional training facility. The one to which Sasuke had come to refer as the bunker. The one in which the young Uchiha had first reached the conclusion that these two were, in fact, quite insane and complete idiots.

Two years and five months.

He had begun to keep track of his time with them. More specifically, how much time he had left with them. He could not afford for any surprises, and he was determined to make use of every minute spent under the Sannin's tutelage. Which made these ridiculous outings that much more obnoxious. But, there really was nothing he could do about it, since there was not much he could do on his own just yet, and Orochimaru was determined to give in to almost every whim that idiot could concoct. He could not even force stamina training out of this absurd endeavor, something he had come to realize after the first few walks. Kabuto's scolding really was not worth the effort.

Therefore, he walked along beside the morons, refusing to join their conversation, his expression dull, and his dark gaze focused on no point in particular in the expanse of field before him.

"Orochimaru-sama," the idiot Genin was, as usual, speaking to his master, and, as was so often the case, the Snake Master turned his attention on his medic with a genuinely interested expression. "I do believe I have decided. Spring is my favorite season."

"Is that so?" Orochimaru inquired. "And what has spurred this conclusion of yours?"

"Well, you see, it is, by far, the most pleasant time of year," Kabuto began, seemingly pleased that the man had decided to question him on the matter. "The colors are all so vibrant. And it is the best time for harvesting, all the plants are primed and ready for me. Life is in the air, especially new life. Meaning," here, the sadist humored a rather twisted smile, as he said, "new specimens are emerging each day. The little ones are, after all, the easiest to catch."

"Kabuto, always so practical," the Sannin chuckled, and both he and his imbecilic assistant began laughing at this train of thought.

Bastards. Idiotic bastards. There really was no limit to their antics, was there?

After a time, their humor in Kabuto's answer had past, and the Genin pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose and asked, "And what is your favorite season, Orochimaru-sama?"

"Autumn," the Sannin replied, and Sasuke could already feel himself scowling at the creep's response.

As expected, Kabuto followed his question with another. "And why is that?"

"First and foremost, my birthday falls in that season, and I have always liked my birthday," Orochimaru replied, his sharp teeth protruding amidst his grin. "For another, I do like the chill in the air. But, as should always be the case, it is controlled. Not _too_ cold, but cold enough. Finally, I have always liked it for the simple reason of what it symbolizes."

"Oh?" the medic-nin awarded his master a curious look. "And what is that, Orochimaru-sama?"

"The last glimmer of hope before all fades into winter," the older shinobi replied. "In other words, the hope before desolation. It stands on the brink, as the final stage, before utter despair. In a way, it stands before death itself. After all, winter has always symbolized death."

"Ah, yes," Kabuto mused, a subtle smile forming at the corner of his mouth. "And, of course, it has always been your quest to conquer death. In a way, autumn is much like you, Orochimaru-sama."

"Insightful as always, Kabuto," the Sannin offered his usual compliment.

The Uchiha rolled his eyes at the pair of them. Conquer death? Such an absurd notion. No one could possibly conquer death. It was an inevitable entity. The only thing a person could control was _when_ and _how_. But then again, even that was questionable, as there so often emerged circumstances which robbed even _that_ from the individual.

And that moron was _not_ insightful.

"Sasuke-kun."

The boy held back the sigh forming in his throat at the Genin's prying tone. As always, they had decided to turn the question on him. Could they be any more predictable? No matter, he had decided to ignore them, and he therefore did not avert his gaze.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru now took it upon himself to question him, and, without awaiting any reaction, asked, "do you have a season of preference?"

"Winter," Sasuke answered tonelessly.

"Ohh," Kabuto remarked, clearly amused by his response, and he glanced meaningfully in his master's direction. "The season of death. How…ironic." He inserted a pause, clearly intending to gauge his reaction, but he received none. Therefore, he asked, "Any particular reason?"

"No," the Uchiha replied.

"Why must you always lie to us?" the Genin tsked the boy with a slight shake of his head. "There is obviously a reason. In fact, I daresay everyone has a reason for everything, in which case-"

"Shut the hell up," Sasuke finally turned his onyx gaze from the horizon to fix a glare on the moronic bastard.

"Kabuto," Orochimaru now turned his snake eyes on the younger man beside him, "that is enough. If Sasuke-kun does not wish to share his reasons with us, that is his prerogative. Some people need their secrets. Now, enough of your prying."

Immediately lowering his head, Kabuto mumbled, "Yes, Orochimaru-sama."

The Sannin nodded his head in approval, and, in spite of himself, Sasuke had to fight a smirk. There was always something so satisfying about watching Orochimaru denounce Kabuto when his antics went a little far. The idiot somehow managed to annoy _everyone_. It must be a talent.

In a matter of minutes, the two had divulged in some new topic of conversation, and Sasuke turned to face away from them once more.

His gaze wandered over the field, over the veins of grass swaying gently in the breeze, the line of trees encircling the area, trying his best to drown the chatter in his ear, but it was incessant. He extended his hand away from his side, only a fraction, and spread his fingers, running them through the tall blades, and he pressed his eyes shut. He could feel his mind beginning to wander, could hear their voices slowly dying, and he clenched his hand, ripping a fistful of grass away from the ground in attempt to force those damn reminiscences back.

Their voices grew clearer, but only for a moment. Almost immediately, they had faded again and, as was so often the case, they were replaced by voices from his past…

…

_A child walked along a quiet street. To his right, an older boy stood beside him, and on that boy's opposite side, a man traveled with them as well, his arms crossed in front of him. It was a bright afternoon, a spring afternoon, and a gentle breeze rustled the flowers in the passing window sills._

_Sasuke glanced up at his older brother, an easy smile in place. Itachi had been assigned a mission, one through ANBU, and he had agreed to let his little brother accompany him to the edge of town. Of course, their father had insisted on joining them as well. He often did. After all, Fugaku always took a keen interested in everything his eldest son did._

_They had been walking together in silence for a fair amount of time. He was not quite sure what it was about their father, but, for some reason, Itachi was always much quieter when that man was around. The boy's black eyes wandered from one to the other, silently taking in their expressions, and he noted that, as usual, their dad was wearing a frown, though his expression was otherwise filled with pride. His brother, on the other hand, had adopted that distant look in his eyes._

_At this, the young Uchiha titled his head to one side. "Nii-san?"_

_His expression almost immediately softening, Itachi turned his gaze to rest on his little brother, and he asked, "Yes?"_

_With the lack of strain on the older boy's demeanor, however, Sasuke only smiled in response. "Hi."_

_Itachi released a slight chuckle, but he nevertheless nodded his head, "Hello, Sasuke."_

"_Is that _all_ you had to say?" Fugaku's scolding voice sounded, and his younger son ducked his head. "If you don't have anything important to say, I suggest you don't break your brother's concentration. He has a very important mission today, one even I, his father, am not privy to."_

"_Okay," Sasuke mumbled, his lower lip jutting out in a pout._

_A slight pause fell afterwards, but this time, Itachi took it upon himself to break the silence. "Sasuke," he addressed his younger brother, "how are your studies going?"_

_The boy lifted his dark eyes, glancing first at his father, but he found Fugaku had turned his attention away from him. A frown forming, he faced Itachi and replied, "I have the highest marks in every subject."_

"_That's excellent," his brother nodded, an encouraging smile in place._

_Sasuke managed a small smile in turn, watching the older boy's expression carefully. His father had said he needed to only speak if it was important, so as to not distract his brother from the mission, but it seemed like Itachi welcomed the digression. But then, perhaps his father was right. Perhaps Itachi did need to focus, and Sasuke was being a nuisance. Perhaps that was why Fugaku always refused to let him tag along. But, if that was the case, why did Itachi's expression seem so much lighter any time they _weren't_ talking about his missions?_

"_Is Shisui-san going on this mission, too?" the child asked._

"_What did I just tell you?" his father shook his head at him. "Even I, his father, am not aware of the details. It is a top secret mission, an important one for the village, and you must not question your brother on the matter. ANBU is very strict, secretive, albeit efficient."_

_The young Uchiha nodded his head, but his eyes were fixed on his brother. As predicted, the expression on the older boy's countenance had fallen, the smile disappearing the moment his father had begun speaking of the mission, and, the more Fugaku had said, the more distant that look in Itachi's eyes grew._

_It was decided. A distraction was best._

"_Nii-san," Sasuke began, and he watched as Itachi's focus returned to the present moment. "The other day, some weird blond kid at the Academy lunged at me during practice."_

"_Oh?" Itachi arched a curious brow at this. "That's certainly odd. Why did he do that?"_

"_I'm not sure," his brother replied with a slight shake of his head. "I think he might have been doing it for attention. He's always really loud in class. He was awful at Clone Jutsu, though."_

"_Is he?" the older Uchiha asked. "That's unfortunate. Though, I'm sure he'll learn in time, if he applies himself."_

"_Hm," Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. He was not entirely sure what was the matter with the kid in question, but he seemed to have formed some sort of personal vendetta against him. And he seemed kind of like an idiot. Then again, Itachi was always right about people. Perhaps he _would_ learn, in time._

_At that moment, however, they were passing a flower shop, and he spotted another classmate. A particularly annoying classmate, at that, and she was giving him that weird look she always adopted whenever he was in the vicinity. She was always prying, and she had such an obnoxious voice. If he remembered correctly, her name was Ino. He found himself unable to fight the frown._

"_What is it, Sasuke?" Itachi stared down at his younger brother in confusion, following his line of sight to the girl outside the flower shop._

"_Sasuke-kun!" Ino shrieked, and she waved her hand vigorously at him._

_The boy dropped his gaze to the ground, and, once he was certain they were out of earshot, he mumbled in response, "I hate her."_

_Fugaku immediately turned his harsh stare on his son, and he scolded, "You do not _hate_ her. You have a _strong dislike_ for her." Resting his gaze on the blonde girl, he then proceeded to shake his head, "Do you even know her?"_

"_I _do_ know her, and I hate her," Sasuke's lip jutted out in a pout._

_His father's eyes widened at this, and he snapped, "Excuse me?! Are you talking back to me?!"_

_The young Uchiha quickly ducked his head, deciding not to say any more on the matter. His dad could say what he wanted, but Ino was definitely one of the most annoying girls he had ever met. And he was pretty sure she was the one who had stolen his pencil._

_From then on, the three traveled in silence. Not another word was spoken until they came to a stop at the gateway to Konoha, and it was there that Fugaku took it upon himself to congratulate his oldest son, express how proud he was and wish him the best on this mission. The young Uchiha watched the exchange in continued silence, but he took care to make note of his older brother's expression. And as before, Itachi was faraway._

"_You are my son, indeed," their father was currently saying as he gave Itachi a firm nod of his head. "You are the pride of our clan. I have no doubt of your success."_

_With that, Fugaku turned and began to walk back the way they had come. Sasuke furrowed his brow in perplexity, about to hurry after him, but, after glancing over at his older brother and, once again, noting that look in his eyes, the boy decided he could catch up to his father._

"_Nii-san."_

_His brother glanced over at him, "Yes, Sasuke?"_

_He did not want to mention the mission. Something was off. Every time the subject was raised, Itachi changed, his mind would wander from this world, and Sasuke did not like it. Even wishing him well might send him away again. Therefore, he decided to take a different approach._

"_When you get back," Sasuke gave him a pointed look, "you should wake me up, and we can drink jasmine tea together."_

"_Aa," Itachi's smile returned, and he lifted his hand to poke the boy gently on the forehead. "I will."_

…

The Uchiha shook his head. He was tired of zoning out, of falling back and forth between the present, spent with these idiots, and those damnable memories. There was nothing worth falling back to, remembering, and nothing worth returning to afterwards. After all, he was tired of Kabuto. He was tired of taking these damn walks. They were completely pointless. He was tired of these stupid antics he had to put up with if he wanted to get any proper training. None of it was worth his time, and he was tired of it. He came here to train, to surpass Itachi. Nothing else mattered.

Sasuke held back the frustrated sigh, swinging his fist against blades of grass and forcing his eyes open. He immediately focused his attention on the pair beside him, but, as he did so, his dark eyes widened in surprise. There was a white rabbit in their path. Not a moment ago, it had been hopping along, casually minding its own business. However, Kabuto had stepped forward and slammed his foot against the animal, kicking it several feet in the air and sending it flying backward.

"Excellent kick, Kabuto," Orochimaru remarked with a nod of approval.

What the hell was the matter with these idiots? Oh, hell! Why was he still asking that question? At this point, he really should not be surprised by anything anymore.

"Thank you, Orochimaru-sama," the moron turned his self-satisfied smile on his master, as he pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose. Focusing his eyes on Sasuke, his smile turned vindictive, and he stated, "I _have_ been practicing."

"Have you?" the Sannin glanced from his medic to the Uchiha, and his eyes narrowed. "Kabuto…what do I keep telling you about that?"

"Telling me?" the idiot blinked twice, putting on his best attempt at an innocent expression. "Why, nothing."

"I am not in the mood to repeat myself," Orochimaru informed his subordinate, his tone one of obvious dissatisfaction, and it was enough to wipe that stupid expression off Kabuto's face. "Now, you would do well to remember that."

"Ahem," the Genin gave a slight inclination of his head, "yes, Orochimaru-sama."

When the Sannin had averted his attention, Kabuto immediately shot a dark look in Sasuke's direction, and the Uchiha found himself shaking his head at the imbecile. Such a spiteful little idiot. Recently, he had taken to sending a kick his way and flicking him off every chance he got. Every time he thought his beloved master was not looking. It was actually rather pathetic. Oh well, though. Kabuto was not about to change his ways, no matter what anyone told him, and, if he insisted on being a pathetic little piece of shit, that was none of Sasuke's concern.

His eyes wandered from the morons, back to the field, and he had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. What was so damn terrific about spring, anyway? It was bright and loud and populated and obnoxious. It marked the onset of summer, which was even brighter, and accompanied by an insufferable heat. And, of course, spring was the death of winter. A beautiful, silver landscape would vanish, melting into those pesky hues of green, and that quiet stillness would shatter with the explosion of excited voices and chirping birds.

But then, it _was_ very fitting for Kabuto. That idiot shattered every silence. In fact, it was practically impossible for anyone to remain calm around him. And, of course, he was very vibrant. And obnoxious. Yes, definitely fitting for that moron. In fact, there was no season that served as a better representation of him.

"Orochimaru-sama! Not that way!"

The Uchiha's dark gaze snapped back to the idiot beside him, and he found that the Genin was wearing a particularly distressed expression. He was trying to urge Orochimaru from taking a turn in the field, away from a patch of flowers, and both Sasuke and the Sannin glanced over at Kabuto in confusion.

"Why ever not, Kabuto?" Orochimaru questioned.

"Well, you see," Kabuto began matter-of-factly, "it is quite dangerous."

"Dangerous?" the Snake Master glanced from his subordinate to the flowers. "And why is that?"

"Observe," the idiot instructed, extending a finger and pointing at the various blossoms. "Do you see those objects flying around? The yellow and black ones? They are bees, Orochimaru-sama."

"I can see that, Kabuto," Orochimaru gave a slight nod of his head. "What is the problem?"

"Bees have stingers," the Genin stated, as if it was obvious. And, as if that was all the explanation needed.

"Stingers can be avoided," his master returned, though an amused smile had overtaken his countenance as he stared at his idiotic assistant.

"Yes, but, as the medic, I do believe it would be best not to risk such an encounter," Kabuto gave a decisive nod of his head.

"Kabuto," Sasuke was now giving the idiot a curious look. Suddenly, his interruption in the training room back in February was beginning to make more sense. "Do you have a pathological fear of bees?"

Turning his stare on the Uchiha, the medic-nin released a nervous laugh, and he shook his head at the boy. "Sasuke-kun, do not be absurd," Kabuto raised his middle finger to push his glasses up the brim of his nose. "Of course not. I am merely looking out for everyone's health. After all, that is my job. And bees are quite poisonous. Have you ever considered what would happen if you had an allergic reaction to the venom?"

Sasuke could not fight the smirk. "Are you allergic to bees?"

"This is not about me," Kabuto insisted.

"That's weird," the Uchiha mused, his tone sarcastic. "I thought everything was about you."

The idiot awarded him a dumbfounded scoff, his eyes wide in disbelief and his mouth agape. "Sasuke-kun!" he exclaimed, before taking a moment to compose himself. "Ahem. That is simply not true."

"Really?" Sasuke arched a brow at him. "I think it is. At least, as far as you're concerned."

"Oh, now you're just being ridiculous," Kabuto waved him off with a brush of his hand. "Can you not see that my entire life is devoted to Orochimaru-sama?"

"Hm," the shinobi glanced from the idiot to his master, who he found, once again, watching their exchange in amusement. Perhaps Kabuto had a point, but then, even so… "You demand your master's attention every chance you get. And, when you don't get it, you walk off and sulk."

That moron scoffed once more, taking obvious offense. "I do _not_ sulk."

"Yes, you do, Kabuto," Orochimaru said simply. "Now, come. We're going this way."

With that, the Snake Master turned from the patch of flowers and began to walk in the opposite direction. It took a moment for his medic-nin to recover, but when he did, he hurried after the Sannin, his stupid messy ponytail blowing in the wind. Oh, lord, he was such a moron.

Sasuke stared after them in silence a moment, before shaking his head back and forth. "Orochimaru," he addressed the older shinobi.

The snake bastard turned to glance over his shoulder, "Yes, Sasuke-kun?"

"I'm going back," the Uchiha informed him in a dry tone.

"What?" Kabuto spun around instantly, placing a hand on his hip. "Sasuke-kun, how many times must I tell you that being outdoors is excellent for the lungs, and a bit of fresh air-"

"I don't give a damn," Sasuke cut him off.

He did not wait for a response from either of them. He proceeded to simply turn his back to the imbeciles and make his way back the way they had come, back across the field. When no further attempt was made to stop him, he had to hold back a scoff. For some reason, he kept forgetting how easy it was to ignore their instructions. Though the reason he was allowed so much freedom was unnerving, it did prove convenient at times such as this. In the back of his mind, he wondered if Orochimaru was giving him that creepy stare as he walked away.

"Orochimaru-sama," he heard Kabuto's voice growing more and more distant. "Did you know today is Mother's Day?"

"Is it, really?" the Sannin's muffled voice returned. "You remember everything, don't you, Kabuto?"

Sasuke held back the sigh, increasing his distance from the pair of morons until their voices had disappeared altogether. His stare fell to the ground, but he furrowed his brow when he noticed a shadow overhead. It was growing larger, until, suddenly, Kabuto fell to the ground in front of him.

"Sasuke-kun," the man straightened himself and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "What was your mother like?"

What the hell? Sasuke's eyes narrowed into a glare, and he promptly turned his back to that idiot, only to find that Orochimaru was standing directly behind him. His eyes were widened with that usual fascination, and his long tongue was protruding from his mouth.

"Answer Kabuto's question, Sasuke-kun," the Snake Master insisted.

The Uchiha glanced from one to the other, a scowl overtaking his countenance. Perhaps getting away from them was not quite as easy as he had thought.

"No," he said simply.

"You're always such a rude young man," Kabuto shook his head at the boy. "We're quite curious, you see, as I never knew my real mother, and Orochimaru-sama's parents were both killed at an early age. How old were you, Orochimaru-sama?"

"It was so long ago, I do find I have trouble remembering," the Sannin replied. "Perhaps it was five?"

"Five," his idiot medic nodded, before returning his attention to Sasuke. "So, as you can see, we have very little understanding of what precisely a mother is."

Sasuke clenched his hand at his side. "My mother was killed, too. Why the hell would you ask _me_?"

"Oh, that's right," Kabuto's mouth turned in a pleasant smile. "I suppose it must have slipped my mind."

In an instant, Sasuke's fist slammed against his nose, and that four-eyed bastard fell over, cradling his face in his hand. Orochimaru, who was looking on with his usual amusement, lifted his eyes from the medic to the glowering boy in front of him. He lifted a hand and rested it on his shoulder.

"Sasuke-kun," the Sannin gave him a pointed look, "that's something we have in common. We share the same loss."

"Shut-up!" Sasuke snapped, pulling his arm out of that bastard's clutches. "I don't share a damn thing with you!"

"Oh, but you do," Orochimaru kept the same amused smile. "In fact, the number of similarities between the two of us continues to astound me the more I consider it. We are both orphans, we both turned on our best friends and abandoned Konoha, and we would both use any means necessary to achieve our goals. We're practically the same."

"We are _not_ the same," the Uchiha stepped past Kabuto and walked away from those idiots. "I am nothing like you."

Orochimaru was a despicable, sadistic moron. He was insane. A horrible excuse for a human being. He experimented on people, and took whatever the hell he wanted. How dare he compare himself to Sasuke. He knew nothing about him. And how dare Kabuto try to question him about his mother. Who the hell did he think he was?

The boy left the field behind him, stepping into the dark forest and making his way back to this hideout's ridiculous entrance.

"_What was your mother like?"_

Sasuke shook his head, forcing that absurd voice out of his thoughts. He was tired of listening to him. Tired of hearing that same, damnable tone every day. But it was relentless. It was imposing upon his consciousness. Even in his mind, Kabuto was an obnoxious, prying bastard.

"_Today is Mother's Day."_

He heaved a sigh, pressing his eyes shut, but that voice would not go away. And neither would the words that moron had spoken…

…

"_Sasuke?"_

_A pair of large black eyes shot up at the sound of his name, and the child hastened to the kitchen towel he had neglected earlier. From head to toe, he was covered in flour, but it was not _his_ fault it had flown everywhere when he had opened the bag. And he had tried to catch the eggs before they splattered against the floor, but they had fallen so fast. He even tried to wipe up the sugar, but it had gotten rather sticky within the time he had neglected it._

_And, in spite of everything, the batter still didn't look right. He was not willing to try it, to determine if it _tasted_ right. He hated sweets. But, from what he could see, something was off. He had spent the entire morning in the kitchen, but nothing was turning out right. It had even been the simplest recipe in the book._

"_Nii-san," Sasuke mumbled, his eyes fixed on the floor and his lip jutting out in a pout, "I hate cake."_

_He heard his brother sigh, before crossing the kitchen to stand by his side. "Why were you trying to make a cake?"_

"_For Mother's Day," the boy replied as his gaze wandered over the mess he had made. "I thought Kaa-san would like it. I wanted it to be a surprise. But it's too hard, Nii-san."_

_Itachi took the towel from him and proceeded to wipe the powder out of his little brother's hair, before glancing around the kitchen as well. He remained silent for a moment, and Sasuke again dropped his eyes to the floor in shame. He had made a mess, and now he was going to be in trouble. And his mother would not get a cake._

"_Perhaps," the older Uchiha began, "it would be easier if we made it together."_

_At this, the child's gaze shot up to his brother, his eyes wide in surprise. "Really?"_

"_Aa," Itachi nodded his head, a smile forming in the corner of his mouth. "Of course, we should clean up first, that way Tou-san won't be upset."_

"_I tried, but…," Sasuke pointed at the sugar, which seemed determined to stay on the floor, "it won't come off." He stared down at the detestable substance in silence a moment, before mumbling, "I hate sugar, Nii-san."_

"_Oh? That's too bad," his older brother's smile widened. "I find I rather like it."_

"_I don't," the young Uchiha shook his head. "It tastes bad, and it gets everywhere, and it won't come off."_

"_I suppose everyone is entitled to their own opinion," Itachi gave a slight nod of his head, before straightening himself once more and walking to the sink. He flicked the faucet on, let the water run over the towel for a moment, before returning to his little brother and handing it to him. "I'll be back in just a moment. I'm going to get another towel."_

"_Okay, Nii-san," Sasuke replied, and he watched the older boy leave the kitchen._

_Turning his attention on the sugar mess, the child narrowed his eyes, wondering if the water on the towel would make that sticky substance more inclined to part with the floor. He tilted his head to one side in curiosity, before deciding to test it. After rubbing the towel against the mess, his eyes widened in astonishment. It had actually worked. He heard footsteps from the hall, and he turned to see his brother returning to the room, and he instantly awarded him a smile._

"_Look, Nii-san!" he pointed at the floor. "It worked!"_

"_Aa, it did, indeed," Itachi nodded in agreement. "Good job, Sasuke."_

"_How did you know that would work?" his little brother demanded._

"_Well, it's quite simple," the older boy gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Most of all, it's a matter of mere observation."_

"_You know everything, don't you, Nii-san?" an excited smile formed on the child's face._

"_No, not everything," Itachi shook his head as he knelt down on the floor beside his younger brother. "But you will find that there is quite a bit you can learn through observation alone."_

_With Itachi's help, the kitchen was clean in no time at all, and Sasuke again found himself squinting at the recipe in his mother's cook book. It was soon decided that Itachi should be in charge of the directions, and the child eagerly raced back and forth, following the instructions his brother would give him. When it came time to put the cake in the oven, Sasuke stared down at the batter in confusion._

"_How did it end up looking so different this time?" he asked._

"_It was all a matter of the proper order and amount of each ingredient," his older brother held up his forefinger as he explained. "If the correct dosage is not followed, there will either be something lacking, or an overbearing amount of some ingredient. And, if this is the case, the end result with be contrary to the original intent. The same is true for the order, though. If the proper ingredients are not applied in the appropriate order, with the appropriate care and time, the final product will again be contrary to that which you seek."_

"_Hm…it sounds hard, Nii-san," Sasuke stared at the cake with a pout._

"_Aa," Itachi gave a slight nod of his head, but with a gentle smile. "It is. You see, Sasuke, it is much easier to do something wrong than it is to do something right. However, it is because of the challenge, the struggle itself, which makes the end result of the right action so much more commendable. It is the ability to overcome the trial which makes it worthy."_

"_So…because it's hard…and because you still got it right, even though it was hard, it's even better than it would have been if it was easy," the child reasoned. "So, the struggle makes a difference?"_

"_It does," his brother replied. "It makes all the difference."_

_That evening, when they presented the cake to their mother, Mikoto pulled her children into a hug and thanked them for everything. She was radiating with happiness, and there was not a single instance all night that her smile was absent from her expression. Sasuke eagerly pointed out that he had been the one to come up with the idea, and that he had written the message inscribed in the icing. And, of course, that Itachi had helped him._

_The cake was cut, and the young Uchiha watched with a slight shake of his head as everyone enjoyed the dessert. How they could even stand the taste, however, was quite a mystery. Glancing over at Itachi, a grin formed on the child's face, and he exchanged a knowing look with his mother._

"_Itachi," Mikoto turned to her oldest son with a light laugh._

"_Hm?" Itachi glanced up from the cake to award his mother a curious look. He obviously had no idea._

_Mikoto grabbed her napkin and leaned across the table to wipe the icing from the corner of her son's mouth, and Itachi proceeded to shake his head, but he wore a smile. It was the same, kind smile that always matched his mother's._

"_You're really messy when you eat cake, Nii-san," Sasuke remarked, laughing at his older brother._

"_It's because he enjoys it so much," Mikoto explained. She tapped her index finger against Itachi's cheek as she mused, "How you manage it every time, though, has always amazed me."_

"_Well, Kaa-san," Itachi's smile turned sarcastic, "it's quite simple, really. With talent, and precision."_

_His mother laughed, proceeding to shake her head at the boy and then returning to her own dessert. Itachi did likewise. Later that night, Itachi walked his little brother to his room, and, as Sasuke crawled into bed, he began to wonder about the events of the day. Especially as they pertained to something his brother had said earlier._

"_Nii-san," he stared up at Itachi with curious eyes, "do you think Kaa-san liked her cake?"_

"_Aa, I believe she did," his brother assured him with a slight nod of his head. "You made her very happy, Sasuke."_

"_I couldn't have done it if you hadn't helped me, though," the boy pointed out. "Do you think I should have tried to do it myself? Would that have made it better, because it was harder?"_

"_Sasuke," Itachi shook his head at his little brother. "Of course not. Commendable though a struggle may be, asking for help does not make it any less worthy."_

"_It doesn't?" Sasuke asked._

"_No," the older Uchiha replied. "It doesn't."_

"_Oh…," the boy's eyes fell, and he considered the matter silently. It made sense. And Itachi was always right, so he must be right about this. With a small smile, Sasuke returned his stare to his brother and told him, "Thank you, Nii-san."_

"_No need to thank me," his older brother gave a slight shake of his head. "I simply offered my help where it was needed." As he stared down at his little brother, a small smile formed at the corner of Itachi's mouth, and he patted the boy on the head. "You should never hesitate to accept help when it is necessary."_

_Sasuke beamed up at his brother, "I won't, Nii-san."_

"_In that case," Itachi's smile widened, "I'll always be here when you need my help."_

…

"Bastard…"

Sasuke fell into bed, burying his face in his pillow and gripping tightly at its edges, his hands curled into fists. That lying, heartless bastard. His mother had smiled at him, had wiped icing from his face, icing from a cake _he_ had made for her, and he had smiled back. Hell, he had even joked with her about it. He had made her laugh. How could he kill her? After all of that, how could he raise a katana against his own mother?

Why had he lied to them? It would have been much more merciful if he had just killed them all to begin with. But then, Itachi really did not care for mercy. In fact, he preferred quite the opposite. To build his mother's trust, to convince her that he was the perfect son, to laugh and smile with her, to run errands before she even had a chance to ask, only to turn on her when she least expected it. To silence that kind laugh and wipe that pleasant smile from her face, forever.

Itachi had taken away the one thing a person could control, the one aspect of death which made it more tolerable. _When_ and _how_. He had placed himself as the bringer of death, taken it in his own hands to determine when his family would die. And by what means.

He had slain his own mother, the woman who had given life to him. Was there even anything more contemptible than that?

And that bastard had the nerve to lecture his little brother on what was right?

Sasuke slammed his fist against his bed, pressing his eyes shut. That bastard deserved to die. He deserved the most painful, excruciating death possible, and he would personally see to it that he got it. Orochimaru needed to stop taking these damn walks with Kabuto, he needed to stop stalling, stop putting off their training for every whim that crossed the idiot's mind. He needed to get his damn act together.

The Uchiha lifted his hand and pounded it against the bed again. And again. And again. He pressed his eyes tighter.

"Bastard," he muttered. "You damn, heartless bastard."

He was not the son his father had been proud of.

Itachi was not the perfect Uchiha, willing to sacrifice himself to protect others, the prodigy Fugaku had always favored, the son who would return successful from every mission and accept his father's praise with practiced silence. Perfectly disciplined, and without a single flaw.

He was not the son his mother had known.

Itachi was not the boy who would always make Mikoto smile, who would joke and laugh with her, even at his own expense, the son who offered a bouquet of flowers for her birthday and her favorite cake on Mother's Day. Gentle and kind, and always prepared to help.

And he was not the brother Sasuke missed so much.


	15. Alone

**A/N: Hey, sorry it took so long to get the next update up. I'll definitely try to be faster in the future. Again, be sure to read The. Teal. Rose's "Illusions of Serenity" and Lehrain's "Vigil of Sorrows."**

* * *

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter XV

"Alone"

…

_The small Uchiha scampered around the kitchen, stopping every now and again to stand on his tiptoes to try to see over the counter. When he accidently knocked over a bag of flour, he was moved to the living room, but even there, he was barely able to contain his excitement._

"_I'm turning two," the small boy repeated, holding up two fingers to emphasize his point._

"_That's right," his older brother gave a nod of his head in response, with a gentle smile in place. He sat beside the child on the couch as they awaited the young Uchiha's birthday dinner._

"_Nii-san!" Sasuke's eyes widened suddenly. "What did _you_ do when you turned two?"_

"_Me?" Itachi lifted his eyes to the ceiling, his expression turning pensive. After a time, however, he proceeded to shrug his shoulders as he replied, "All I can remember of it is the cake."_

"_What kind of cake was it?" his little brother asked._

"_I believe it was vanilla," the Uchiha prodigy gave decisive nod of his head._

"_Ohh," Sasuke mused, his onyx gaze darting around the living room, before making its way back to his brother. "Am I having vanilla?"_

"_Aa," Itachi replied._

"_Do you like vanilla, Nii-san?" the child asked._

_The older boy's smiled widened, and he again nodded his head. "Very much so. In fact, I do believe it's my favorite."_

"_Really?" Sasuke grinned. "I wonder if it'll be my favorite."_

_Before Itachi could respond, their mother entered the living room, her kind smile in place as she glanced between her children. "Sasuke," she addressed her youngest son, and the boy immediately shot to his feet. Mikoto laughed at him, before gesturing toward the kitchen, "Come on, everything's ready."_

"_Yay!" the child exclaimed, reaching over to grab his older brother's hand and then tug on it. "Did you hear that, Nii-san?! It's ready! Let's go!"_

_He proceeded to pull his willing brother off the couch and then toward the kitchen, where their father was already seated at the head of the table. As usual, his arms were crossed in front of him, and he wore a frown. Their mother walked into the room behind her children, who she hurriedly shooed to the table, before taking her own seat. The meal passed quickly, and Sasuke filled most of it with excited conversation, until it came time for the cake._

_After Mikoto set the cake in front of the small boy and the singing had commenced, Itachi leaned over to remind his little brother, "Don't forget to make a wish, Sasuke."_

"_A wish?" Sasuke stared at the older boy with a blank expression. "What kind of wish?"_

"_Any wish," Itachi replied. "Whatever you want. But," here, the boy held up his forefinger in warning, "you can't tell anyone what you wished for, otherwise it might not come true."  
_

"_So, it's a secret wish!" the child smiled in excitement._

"_Aa," his brother nodded. "A secret wish. You need to keep it in _here_." At this, Itachi lowered his finger to instead poke his little brother on the forehead, and Sasuke's eyes widened in a start._

"_That's right," Mikoto agreed with her oldest son, and she held her finger to her lips. "It needs to be a secret, Sasuke."_

"_Okay!" Sasuke turned to face his cake, and he pressed his eyes shut. What did he want? What was it is he wished for most? Even as he thought this, however, the answer seemed so obvious, and his eyes opened once more as he glanced around the table at his family._

'_For my wish,' he thought, 'I want us all to be together like this, forever!'_

_He grinned, before leaning forward to blow out his two candles. His mother and brother clapped at his success, and Mikoto then proceeded to cut the cake. As she passed the pieces around the table, Sasuke accepted his eagerly, curious what the vanilla cake tasted like, the one his brother liked so much. He lifted the fork in his hand, broke off a large portion, and then stuck the bite in his mouth._

_Sasuke's eyes immediately widened. What _was_ this? It was so…so…_

"_Blech!" the child spat out the disgusting dessert onto his napkin, but the horrid taste would not go away. He shook his head back and forth, continuing to spit out whatever remained of that terrible sensation. It was gross! How could Itachi like this?!_

"_What are you doing?" he heard his father ask, his tone one of displeasure, but Sasuke paid it no mind._

_He quickly snatched up his plate and turned to his brother, who was staring at him in perplexity. "Here," he told Itachi, handing the plate to him._

"_Do you not like it?" his mother asked._

_Sasuke shook his head vigorously, scrunching his face up in disgust. "It's gross," he told her._

"_That's no reason for such a shameful display," Fugaku stated firmly. "I expect better manners at my table."_

"_But it tasted bad," the young Uchiha replied, glancing over at his brother, but the disgust returned when he realized Itachi was eating the cake with a pleasant smile. "Eww! Nii-san, how are you eating that?!"_

_Itachi glanced over at him with a confused look, and Sasuke cringed at the sight of icing on his brother's upper lip. With a shrug, his older brother replied, "It's all a matter of opinion, Sasuke. As I said, vanilla is my favorite, and I do rather like cake."_

"_A little too much, maybe," Mikoto laughed, leaning across the table to wipe the icing from the boy's mouth._

"_Again?" Itachi released a sigh. "How does that happen, every time?"_

"_Don't worry," Mikoto shot her son a playful wink. "I think it's cute."_

_Sasuke shook his head at the whole ordeal, frowning down at the contemptible food on his older brother's plate. "Nii-san…"_

"_Yes, Sasuke?" the older boy glanced over at his brother with a curious brow arched._

"_I don't like vanilla," Sasuke informed him. As his eyes wandered back over the tray in front of him, however, he shook his head in response to his own words. It was not just the vanilla. It was the cake. In which case, it was decided. "I hate cake."_

"_Oh, dear," his mother mused, worry lacing her tone. "I suppose I'll just have to make something else on your birthday. At least, until you start to like it."_

"_Okay," her son nodded, but, even as he said it, his dark eyes were locked on the dessert. It was gross. He didn't want it ever again. No matter what his mother said, he knew he would never, ever like cake._

…

_His older brother was pulling him into a hug._

"_Just because we're celebrating our birthday on the same day, it doesn't mean your birthday isn't still July 23__rd__," Itachi's voice rang in his ear. "Your birthday is unique to you, just like mine is to me."_

…

Sunlight streamed in through the window, and he furrowed his brow, pressing his eyes shut tighter in attempt to block it out. But, as always, any such struggle proved futile. He turned over in bed, burying his face in his pillow, but he already knew there would be no point. He was already awake, and falling asleep again now would be quite an endeavor. Besides, as long as he was up, he might as well start his training, especially since there was no doubt in his mind that Orochimaru was already awake and waiting for him.

July 23rd.

Two years and three months.

If he looked at it in those terms, perhaps it would be simpler. After all, it was just another day, and if he lingered too much on thoughts centered on this particular date, it was bound to affect him. And he was tired of allowing himself to be affected by everything.

He waited a few minutes longer, enjoying whatever small comfort this bed could give him, before forcing himself to a sitting position. His dark gaze wandered to the window, and he rolled his eyes at the lack of curtains. Even if Kabuto was not in the room kicking him awake, he had found _some_ means to annoy the hell out of him in the morning. No matter. Sasuke threw his blanket off and rested his feet on the cold, stone floor. He crossed the room and, once again, found himself gazing dully into his reflection in the large bathroom mirror.

As he lifted his hand to his ebony hair, he grabbed the nearest strand and pulled it down…

…

"_Goodness, Sasuke!" his mother exclaimed. "I don't know _what_ to do about your hair! No matter what I do, it just sticks out!"_

…

When Sasuke released the strand, it immediately shot back up. Just as it always had. A small smile was forming at the corner of his mouth, but he shook his head, forcing that voice to the back of his mind and then turning his back to the mirror. It would not do to dwell on that, either. He instead walked over to the shower.

Before long, he was making his way down the long hallway toward this hideout's kitchen. His eyes wandered to his right, and he focused his blank stare on the long window that ran along the wall, overlooking the dense forest. This hideout was another of Kabuto's choosing, and, as could only be expected from that predictable moron, it was a hideout nestled deep in the woods. It was rather fortunate for these idiots that they did not associate with many outsiders, because, if they did, a pattern could be found in almost anything they did. What seemed quite random to most was actually well within the parameters of both of their personal preferences.

Upon entering the kitchen, the Uchiha found himself a little surprised that he was greeted not by Kabuto, but by Orochimaru. In fact, the medic was nowhere to be seen. Of course, it was just as well. He was actually quite relieved at the prospect that he would be free of that moron's presence a little longer than usual today.

"Sasuke-kun," the Sannin greeted from his seat at the head of the table, snapping his book shut. "Good morning. Well…what small amount of the morning we have left. If you consider this morning. Whatever it is, I hope it's good."

Sasuke responded by awarding the man a slight nod of his head, not even bothering to glance in his direction as he made his way to the cupboard. He grabbed a mug and the jasmine tea, turned the burner on to heat up the kettle, and then prepared the teapot. As he waited for the water to boil, he turned to lean his back against the counter and face the Snake Master.

"Today is the 23rd, correct?" the older shinobi mused. "How are you enjoying your birthday so far?"

"It's fine," the Uchiha gave a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. Not that he had done anything. Did Orochimaru not realize he had just woken up?

"Excellent," Orochimaru nodded. "As soon as you're finished with your breakfast, we'll head to the training facility. I've given Kabuto clear instructions not to interrupt unless necessary."

Necessary, huh? Knowing Kabuto, he could make an argument for any interruption to be _necessary_. And, considering what day it was, he had a feeling the idiot would definitely be willing to bend the rules a little if it meant annoying him in _some_ way. He was such a vindictive little piece of shit.

It was not long before the kettle whistled, and this prompted Orochimaru to return to his book. He flipped it open to the marked page, his attention now completely absorbed in the volume's contents, and Sasuke turned to take the kettle off the burner. As he poured the hot water into the teapot, the sweet aroma hit him like a slap in the face…

…

"_Nii-san…what are you drinking?"_

"_This?" his brother asked, indicating his cup. "Tea. It helps keep me awake."_

"_What kind?" the boy's eyes were wide in curiosity._

"_Jasmine."_

…

"_When you get back, you should wake me up, and we can drink jasmine tea together."_

…

"_As I recall," Orochimaru's voice was low, raspy, "jasmine tea was a particular favorite…of Uchiha Itachi."_

…

Sasuke slammed the kettle down, pressing his eyes shut and shaking all those stupid thoughts from his mind. He again turned his back to the counter, only to find that Orochimaru had lifted his head from the book and was awarding him a curious stare, clearly in response to the most recent disturbance.

"Everything alright, Sasuke-kun?" he asked, and Sasuke could not tell if it was confusion or amusement lining his tone.

"Fine," the Uchiha drawled, forcing the fridge door open and leaning down behind it to avoid that snake bastard's stare. He took a deep breath, allowing the chill in the temperature to waft over him, before snatching an apple and closing the fridge once more.

The Sannin looked unconvinced, but he did not press the issue. Rather, he returned his attention to his book, and Sasuke dropped his gaze to the floor. He really needed to pull himself together. This was proving to be a very bad start to the day, even if he avoided those particular contemplations focused on his _birthday_.

Oh well. Perhaps training would be a better distraction.

* * *

"Sasuke-kun."

A slight pause followed, but it was almost immediately followed by another.

"Sasuke-kun."

So annoying…

"Sasuke-kun. Sasuke-kun. Are you busy? He must be."

"He's not," a raspy voice replied.

"Well, I just assumed he was busy because he's not responding."

"He's not busy. He's just ignoring you, Kabuto."

At that, Sasuke almost found himself tempted to smirk. Without fail, every time Orochimaru reprimanded that idiot, it was always so very amusing. Especially the dumbfounded look on the moron's face. At this point, Kabuto should be used to these reproaches, but, for some reason, his precious master always managed to shock him. He really was an idiot.

No matter. The Uchiha pressed his eyes shut a moment, drew a steady intake of breath, before letting his eyes fly open once more as he concentrated his chakra on the blade. Kabuto was complaining to Orochimaru about something, but Sasuke purposefully took it upon himself to pay as little heed to their words as possible. That idiot Genin was really getting on his nerves. The Chidori was taking shape, and, at this, the boy focused his chakra at his soles and kicked off the ground. He slashed the lightning infused blade against each target, and, upon landing, he immediately deactivated the Chidori.

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Kabuto, what do you want?" Orochimaru snapped, and Sasuke glanced over to see the Sannin glaring at his medic.

"It's of a very important matter, one which our dear young Sasuke-kun should take a very adamant interest," Kabuto insisted, his gaze never once wandering from the boy in question.

"If it's anything you have to say, I highly doubt it's important," Sasuke drawled in response.

The moron's mouth fell agape in obvious offense, and he proceeded to shake his head at the boy. "There's no need for such rudeness. I am here for _you_, after all. I am going out of my way to prepare _your_ party, the very least you can do is give me some feedback."

"Party?" the Uchiha furrowed his brow in perplexity. "What party?"

"The party we're holding tonight!" Kabuto threw his hands in the air. "Orochimaru-sama, I don't know what to do with him! It's as if he doesn't listen to a word I say."

"Observant, as always…_dear_ Kabuto," Orochimaru's mouth turned in an amused smile. "But, yes," here, the Snake Master turned his yellow gaze on the young Uchiha, "your party, Sasuke-kun. We're celebrating it tonight, after all."

"Celebrating what?" Sasuke asked.

"Do you not know what day it is?" the Genin released a condescending laugh. "It's July 23rd. You told me that was your birthday, after all. I wrote it down for future reference, and so, we're going to be celebrating your birthday tonight."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, turning his head to face away from Kabuto as he stated dryly, "That's not necessary."

"Oh, but it is," Kabuto immediately disagreed. "Didn't I tell you from the very beginning that we celebrate everyone's birthday parties? Well…everyone important, that is."

"I don't need one," Sasuke gave a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

"Regardless, you're having one," the medic-nin stated. "Now then, is there anything specific you would like for this party of yours? That is, after all, the reason I'm here."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want a birthday party?" the Uchiha rounded on the idiot with a glare. "Is it so hard to get it through your thick skull? Now, why don't you run along and make yourself useful? Perhaps you can kill another bee."

When Kabuto gave his predicted shocked response, Orochimaru turned to the boy with a pleasant smile, "Sasuke-kun, a party is necessary. I won't have you going through a single birthday with us uncelebrated. It's just not proper. Etiquette dictates that we, as your caretakers, arrange it for you. That being said, what Kabuto is doing _is_ useful."

Since when were _they_ his caretakers?

"I am here for you to train me," Sasuke focused his glower on the Snake Master. "That's all. Anything else is a waste of time."

"How absurd," Orochimaru released a throaty chuckle. "Life cannot be enjoyed in that manner. You must set aside the _time_ to enjoy it. In fact, if there is nothing else to your life, if you don't fill it with amusement from time to time, I have to tell you that you're not even living. Merely surviving."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Surviving, huh?

…

_His older brother was standing in front of him. On all sides of the street, they were surrounded by the lifeless bodies of their clan members. Fresh tears were still streaming down Sasuke's face. Uchiha Itachi turned his back to the child, his expression one of disdain._

"_Foolish little brother," he told him. "If you wish to kill me, then hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, and keep running, and cling to your pathetic life."_

…

Survive…in an unsightly way…

Is that what Itachi had meant, by telling him to _survive_? He really did want him to live in the most repugnant, despicable manner possible, didn't he? He wanted him to be a pathetic coward who lived each and every day in suffering. He wanted to hold that power over him. Well, Sasuke had already decided that he was determined to not let that bastard have his way, and this was just one of the many things Itachi assumed he could get. Perhaps, just perhaps, Orochimaru was right about this. In a strange, inadvertent way, perhaps it was yet another means by which he could get back at that man for what he had done.

He glanced between the idiots, still a little uncertain, but he was determined to keep any such signs from his expression. He focused his dark stare on the Snake Master and drawled, "Fine. We can have a damn party."

"Excellent, Sasuke-kun!" Orochimaru's disgusting, elongated tongue protruded between his jagged teeth as he licked his lips.

"Now that _that's_ settled," the moronic Genin gave Sasuke a pointed look, "are you wanting anything specific?"

Specific? Like what? If Kabuto meant a color scheme, then the only thing that came to his mind was that he did not want _anything_ to be lilac. But, he had a feeling that was not what the idiot was asking him. Therefore, he proceeded to offer a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"I don't care," he informed the medic.

"Oh," Kabuto's brow furrowed, but he quickly waved it away. "_I'll_ just come up with something, then."

"I do believe that would be best, Kabuto," Orochimaru nodded to the imbecile. "After all, no one can plan parties quite like you can."

Sasuke held back the scoff, even as the idiot smiled in gratitude and accepted his master's compliment. There were so many different ways such a phrase could be taken, and it led the young Uchiha to wonder what exactly Orochimaru meant when he said it. In a way, it could even be seen as insulting. Not that Kabuto would ever see that, not from his beloved master, but Orochimaru truly did have a knack for putting people in their place and just saying things for what they were. It was almost refreshing, especially in regards to a certain moron.

As he watched Kabuto leave the vicinity, Sasuke considered the matter. Perhaps a party was not such a bad idea, after all.

* * *

What the hell had he been thinking?!

A party was a terrible idea. A stupid, ridiculous, _terrible_ idea. How had he let Orochimaru talk him into this? He should have known better. And letting Kabuto plan anything was easily the worst move he could have possibly made in this whole ordeal. The idiot had invited quite a crowd, almost as many people as had been present at Kabuto's own party. There had not been too many birthdays Sasuke had celebrated, but he had definitely never had this many people present at _any_ of them. They were usually small get-togethers with a few people from his clan. This was just…absurd.

Allowing that moronic medic to cook the meal had been another bad move. It was completely inedible, though everyone else seemed to be stomaching it just fine. Maybe they threw it up later. Maybe _that_ was Orochimaru's trick to being able to eat so many of Kabuto's meals. But then…oh, who the hell knew? The point was that the food was disgusting. If only he could make his own damn meal, but it was difficult to get away to do anything. He felt smothered in all directions.

Apparently, the fact that he was Orochimaru's pupil made him something of a celebrity amongst this stupid crowd, though he suspected it also had something to do with the fact that he was the one who had been chosen to be the Sannin's future vessel. What the hell was the matter with these people, anyway? How was it even possible for such a position to be _coveted_?

But then…they were people who lived in association with Orochimaru and Kabuto. There really was no questioning that they were all insane, too.

Presently, he was sitting at the head of the table in the large dining room, and to one side sat the Snake Master, with his trusty medic opposite him. The Uchiha knew no one else bustling around the table, and he responded to none of their inquiries. For that matter, he was purposefully trying his best to drown them all out. When a certain moron's voice boomed in his ear, however, it was difficult to force the words from reaching him.

"I must say, I'm surprised Shuuhei didn't show," the idiot was musing.

"That _is_ weird," someone responded. "Has anyone seen him?"

"Shuuhei-san?" another piped in. "I'm pretty sure he had a mission."

"Ahh," Kabuto nodded his head in understanding. "_That's_ right. He's the one we sent to retrieve the newts."

"Dear Kabuto, I daresay you sent him on that mission yourself," his master reminded him, and one of the Sannin's subordinates released a laugh in response.

"Well, in any case, the mission takes precedence," the idiot waved this off.

Sasuke felt his eyes narrow into a glare, which he turned from Kabuto to instead fix his gaze on the table, and he resisted the scowl that threatened at the corners of his mouth. He could hear that moron laughing, his usual obnoxious laugh, before speaking again. He _always_ had more to say, didn't he?

"He was right to not come."

…

"_Kaa-san…"_

_Mikoto's dark eyes immediately rose to rest on her son, and she offered him a kind smile. "Yes, Sasuke?"_

"_When…," the child hesitated, his gaze wandering to the floor, and he could feel his mouth turning in a pout. "Um…do you know when Tou-san will be back from his mission?"_

_His mother released a quiet sigh, and she set the kitchen utensils down to instead cross the room and take a seat on the floor beside the boy. Her smile returned, and she placed a hand on her son's shoulder in a comforting manner, "Don't worry, Sasuke. I'm sure he'll be back for your party tonight."_

"_Are you sure?" the young Uchiha focused his onyx stare on his mother, and the woman immediately nodded her head._

"_Your father wouldn't miss your birthday," she assured him. "Of course, if he is late, I'm sure he'll have a good reason. It's an important mission, after all."_

"_So…you're _not_ sure," Sasuke concluded._

"_Don't worry," his mother repeated, her smile still in place, before giving him a slight pat on the back. "Now, run along. I'll let you know when I'm finished making dinner."_

"_Okay," the boy gave a slight inclination of his head, pushing himself to his feet and then slowly making his way out of the kitchen._

_He did not get far, however, and he soon found himself sitting outside on the porch in the backyard, kicking his feet back and forth, with his gaze fixed on the ground beneath him. Try though she might, his mother had not succeeded in her attempt to reassure him. Somehow, he had known, as soon as he had learned his father had been assigned a mission on this particular day, that the man would not be back in time. For his father, missions took precedence, above everything else, and a birthday party for his younger son was of little consequence._

_The child released a quiet sigh, letting his head fall, and he forced his legs to halt in their repetitious motion. His father always forgot him. There had not been a single one of Itachi's birthdays, as far back as Sasuke could remember, that Fugaku had ever been absent. And yet, here he was, turning five-years-old, and his father was gone. Away, on some mission._

_He knew what his father did was important, that it was important for the clan and for Konoha. He was the head of the police squad, after all. His father was an important person. And yet…and yet, no matter how much he reminded himself of this fact, he could not help but feel disappointed by his absence. He could not help but feel…upset._

"_Sasuke?"_

_The young Uchiha lifted his head, turning to rest his eyes on his brother, who he found standing beside him. The older boy's brow was furrowed in concern._

"_Hey, Nii-san," Sasuke managed halfheartedly._

_His expression must have said it all, because Itachi did not need any further incitement before he took a seat on the porch beside his little brother and offered him a small smile. His eyes drifted about the yard, but he soon brought them to rest on the amber sky overhead._

"_Tou-san isn't back yet," Itachi guessed, his voice calm and understanding._

_Sasuke hesitated a moment, but there really was no point in avoiding the truth. After all, his brother already knew. Therefore, the child proceeded to give a slight shake of his head in response._

_They sat in silence, a silence it seemed neither were too eager to break, but, even in the silence, the young Uchiha could tell why his brother had come outside. Why he had decided to sit with him, instead of simply letting him be. Itachi must have known that, just by providing his company, even if nothing was said, his presence said enough. He was here. He was here for his little brother. Just like always._

_Though it was not enough to take his mind off his father, or enough to cheer him up completely, it _was_ enough to bring a small smile to the child's face, and he lifted his dark eyes to rest on his older brother. Itachi was still staring up at the sky. He had that typical, peaceful expression in place._

"_Nii-san?"_

_The older Uchiha lowered his eyes to meet his brother's gaze, "Yes?"_

"_Do you…," Sasuke trailed off momentarily, and his smile faded, but he gave a decisive nod of his head. "Do you think a mission is more important…than family?"_

_A soft smile formed, and Itachi again lifted his dark gaze to the sky. "A mission _is_ important," he stated. "As is family. However, a person's values should take precedence above all else. If there is any conflict between these, the right action should be determined, and then executed. In which case, the importance of one might vary."_

_The child stared up at his older brother in confusion. "What do you mean?"_

"_Well," Itachi released a soft chuckle, "you asked for my opinion on the matter, didn't you? If faced with a circumstance in which I must choose," he lowered his eyes and focused that kind smile on the boy beside him, "…my little brother is always more important."_

_Sasuke's eyes widened. "Really?"_

"_Aa," his older brother gave a slight nod. "Really."_

…

As fate would have it, it seemed, the very next year, a mission had been assigned to the great prodigy, and would fall on his little brother's birthday. And, holding true to his word thus far, or, rather, for the sake of keeping up that desired appearance of portraying the perfect older brother, he had refused the mission. Of course, their father had given him quite a lecture, about how important he was, how important it was to take on these missions, for the sake of the Uchiha reputation, but Itachi had not changed his decision. Fugaku had been quite put out the whole day. It was not as though _he_ was willing to miss a mission for something as insignificant as his youngest son's birthday, so, clearly, if anyone else did such a disgraceful thing, he would have absolutely no tolerance for it.

Not that it mattered…

Not that any of it mattered…

No matter how terrible any past birthdays had seemed at the time, no matter who was absent or who was upset, every one of them had been the best he had ever celebrated. They had been before everything had happened, back when he was still naïve, back when his biggest problem was the fact that his father had chosen Itachi as his favorite son. If only things had stayed that simple…

The Uchiha was immediately shaken from his contemplations when a certain moron bumped into him as he was getting up to leave the table. Kabuto, of course, offered that pleasant smile of his, accompanied by the customary apology, before turning and continuing on his way out of the dining room.

Dumbass.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, tempted to just leave the room himself, but any such desires were shattered when the medic returned to the table, carrying a large cake. Fourteen candles lined the surface, and the Genin seemed quite pleased with his work. In fact, based on the far left side of the cake, it was apparent the young man had already snuck a bit of icing.

"Happy birthday, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto turned his full attention on the young Uchiha, a vindictive smile overtaking his expression.

Before the shinobi even had a chance to snap back a retort, the whole room divulged in singing, and Sasuke could feel his eye twitching. Why the hell had that moron made a cake? He had specifically told him, time and again, that he hated sweets. Did he purposefully find ways to annoy him? Maybe that's what he was always writing in that damn notebook of his. How he could possibly aggravate Sasuke-kun _this_ time.

He felt the imbecile give him a hard slap on the back, as he urged the boy, "Make a wish, Sasuke-kun."

…

"_You know, teme, you're supposed to make a wish when you look at the stars."_

_They were lying in the grass, both staring up at the starlit sky overhead. Kakashi was on watch, and, a little ways off, Sakura's sleeping form was nestled near the campfire. Naruto had been having trouble falling asleep and had therefore proceeded to wake Sasuke as well. The blond was currently grinning up at the night sky._

_The Uchiha released a quiet chuckle, shaking his head at the idiot. "That's only when you see a falling star, dobe."_

"_That doesn't matter, dattebayo," his teammate's voice boomed beside him._

_He really did have no sense of volume, did he? There Sakura was, trying to sleep, and Naruto was _still_ shouting. Oh well. It was not as though he ever took notice of his surroundings, why should Sasuke expect him to do so now?_

"_Because," Naruto continued, "I'm going to become Hokage. That's my wish. I don't need a falling star. It's going to come true no matter what."_

_There he went again, rambling on about being Hokage. He really did believe that, didn't he?_

"_Wasn't that your dream?" Sasuke drawled._

"_You're right, teme," the boy beside him began laughing. "I guess they ended up being the same thing because there's nothing else I could think of that I want. However, if I wished for something else, it would be…," he trailed off a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice had taken a more serious tone, "to know my parents, dattebayo."_

_Sasuke's eyes widened at this, but he immediately forced any sign of change from his expression. Perhaps Naruto's head was not always as up in the clouds as the other boy let on. Or perhaps…when it came to a subject like this, perhaps Sasuke was the one who was being more foolish than usual._

_The silence continued between them for a while, but, as always, Naruto was the one who broke it. "What's _your_ wish, teme?" he asked, turning to him as his grin returned. "Or is it the same as your dream?"_

_His dream…_

"Also, I have an ambition that I have no intention to leave as just a dream. The revival of my clan, and to…kill a certain man."

_Sasuke did not respond. Naruto was still staring at him, with that happy grin plastered across his face, and the Uchiha proceeded to tear his eyes off those damn stars and turn on his side, his back to blissful boy. It did not take long before the blond started laughing._

"_That's alright," his cheerful voice rang out. "You don't have to tell me, dattebayo. As long as there's something you wish for, that's fine, dattebayo."_

"For my wish, I want us all to be together like this, forever!"

_His brow creased, and he let his hair fall in front of his face, before he whispered quietly, "No."_

"_Huh?" Naruto's confusion dripped from his tone._

_Holding back the sigh, Sasuke repeated, "No." He hesitated a moment, before explaining, "My wish isn't the same as my dream, Naruto."_

"_That's good, teme," excitement returned to the other boy's voice. "Wishes and dreams…they should be different. A wish can be _anything_, even if it's not possible. Why not wish for the impossible and save your dreams for reality?"_

"_Wish for the impossible, huh?" the young Uchiha mused. How was it that, so inadvertently, and with no idea where Sasuke's mind fell, Naruto always managed to hit the mark so perfectly? The impossible was exactly what he wished for, because it was impossible to return to the past, and it was only in the past where there was anything worth wishing for._

_He pressed his eyes shut, before mumbling, "Yeah, that's probably true."_

…

The impossible wish. What was the point of wishing for the impossible? If that was all a wish was supposed to be, then what was the point of even wishing? It would never come true. No matter how many times a person made that impossible wish, there was nothing that would ever change. Because the impossible was just that: _impossible_.

Sasuke snapped to his feet, walking away from that moron's shocked expression, the Sannin's fascinated gaze, and all those other idiotic bastards who were staring at him. This was stupid. This whole thing was stupid. He slammed the dining room door shut behind him and made his way down the long hallway. He pressed his eyes shut, running his hand along the surface of the glass window that encompassed the wall. He could still hear that idiot Genin's obnoxious voice from behind the closed door, and from the tone, it sounded like he was complaining about something.

Well, good. He could complain all he wanted. There was no possible way Sasuke could care less.

Why did he have to make that stupid cake, anyway?

Even as he thought this, however, a certain morning flashed to the forefront of the boy's mind. They were at that bunker hideout, sitting around the kitchen table. Kabuto was writing something on his scroll, and Orochimaru…was eating something, though he could not seem to remember what. Not that it mattered. They had asked about his birthday, and he had told them he hated cake…

…

"_No cake, then," the idiot declared. With a tsk, he remarked, "Well, that will be a depressing party. Orochimaru-sama, do you think we should make cake for the rest of us, and just give Sasuke-kun something else?"_

…

"_Do you like cake, Sasuke-kun?"_

_He did not even bother to avert his gaze to face the pinkette beside him. She had spotted him and taken it upon herself to walk with him for some time, now. Currently, they were passing a bakery, and she had inhaled the aroma before turning to him with that obnoxious, inquisitive smile._

"_Why?" he asked dryly._

_The girl offered a slight shrug of her shoulders, "I wanted to make up for last year, so I was planning on giving you a cake."_

_A cake? There really was no occasion in which a cake would _ever_ be appropriate to give him. This girl was so stupid. Why did he have to get paired with her on his team? She was useless. And what was she talking about? Why did she always word everything to make it as vague as possible?_

"_What happened last year?" he arched a single brow._

"_Your birthday, Sasuke-kun," Sakura released a high-pitched giggle. "They come every year, and it's important to celebrate them."_

_Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed into a glare. Who the hell was he supposed to celebrate them with? It wasn't as if he had anyone. Besides, what was so important about them, anyway?_

"_That's why it's been bothering me that I didn't get you a present," the annoying girl rambled on. "Of course, I never gave you one before, but I wanted to change that and ended up forgetting."_

Of course_ she was had forgotten. She was a stupid, frivolous girl, with nothing on her mind but giggling with her annoying friends and chasing after boys. That was what she lived for. Besides, everyone had always forgotten about him before, why should this nuisance bother to remember?_

"_Well," she smiled again, blissful in her own stupid world, "even if I didn't give you a gift, I'm sure you still had a good birthday."_

_A good birthday? How could he possibly have a good birthday?_

_Finally, Sakura said the one thing that managed to push him over the edge, "They are called memorable days for a reason."_

_He immediately halted in his steps, and he clenched his hands into fists at his side. She had finally stopped speaking, had finally shut her damn mouth, and was now turning to face him with a confused expression in place._

"_What the hell do you know about my birthday?" he snapped. This girl had no idea, had no right to stand there rambling on about something she could never understand. "Out of all the shit you just said," Sasuke remarked bitterly, "the only thing I agree with…is that they are memorable."_

_Sakura's façade was blank. She was so dense. So carefree. So blissfully unaware._

"_Every single birthday has been…," the Uchiha could feel his eyes widening, could feel the anger welling up inside him, "…memorable."_

_He wanted to lash out at her, to let his fist fly at her for calling those damn memories to the surface. But it wasn't her fault. She was just stupid. She didn't know anything. He turned abruptly, immediately putting distance between them and making his way in the opposite direction._

_It wasn't _her_ fault. It was _his_. Everything was _his_ fault. It always was._

_Under his breath, Sasuke muttered, "And it's all because of that bastard."_

…

He slammed the door shut behind him and turned the lock. He was in no mood to see any of those morons for the rest of the night. After crossing his room, he fell into bed, his face buried in his pillow, and he pressed his eyes shut. He did not want to think about that. He had been trying to suppress it all day, but, as always seemed to be the case, his mind was determined to turn against him. Since he had purposefully been trying to avoid _that_ memory, it had decided to plague him with others. After all, he had plenty to choose from.

He should have just stayed in bed today. It would have been simpler that way. Things Kabuto had said, things he had done, things Orochimaru had said…hell, even making himself tea this morning—it had been all it took to call forth yet another stupid, pointless recollection.

That day with Sakura, after he had walked away from her, he had made his way to the opposite side of town. Granted, the girl had followed him, but he had caused her to halt when he called her pathetic and chastised her for something she had done to Naruto earlier that day. From there, he had made his way to the Uchiha Compound. He walked through the deserted streets, aimlessly, as he had many times.

Sasuke tightened his hand in a fist against his hold on the pillow. He needed to stop this. He needed to stop letting everything affect him. He didn't want to think of that. But, no matter what he told himself, no matter how hard he closed his fist, it was not enough.

He had many memorable birthdays. Many unpleasant ones. But there was one birthday, one in particular, that stood out against all the others. It had been the year he had turned eight years old. His seventh birthday was the very last one he had spent with his family, and it was easily the best he could remember. But his eighth birthday…

His eighth birthday had been when he awoke in a hospital bed the next morning…

…

_It had seemed so vivid, so real. The last he could remember, he was collapsing in the middle of the street. But that was a dream. It couldn't have been real. It _couldn't_ have been._

_He had the same cut, though. It was on his left shoulder. They had bandaged it._

_Why had he been in the hospital?_

_Those nurses…they had said the Uchiha clan had fallen, they had said Itachi's whereabouts were unknown. They had said he was the sole survivor, the only one who had been spared. But, it couldn't be real. Itachi couldn't have done that, it wasn't possible._

_He was rushing through the streets, running home. He had to confirm it for himself. He had to prove them wrong. He took the familiar turn, down the deserted path, until finally, finally he reached the compound._

_Sasuke came to a stop, leaning forward, resting his hands against his knees as he panted heavily, trying to catch his breath. He furrowed his brow in determination, pulled himself together, before lifting his dark gaze to rest on the entrance. Yellow police tape was strapped across the front of it, and a rope had been placed along the bottom, attached to two orange cones on either side of the arch. The child collected himself, before stepping forward, ducking beneath the yellow tape and stepping over the rope._

_He walked inside slowly and did not venture far, before glancing to either side. When his eyes fell upon the bakery, he was immediately greeted by the voice of his aunt. She was smiling at him, that usual, self-satisfied smile, and his uncle was sitting beside her, a newspaper held open._

"Hey, Sasuke-chan. What have you come to buy today?"

_He could feel an excited grin spread across his face, but it immediately flashed to disappointment when he realized…it wasn't real. There was no one standing outside of the shop. It was vacant. A basket had been knocked over. It had just been his imagination, playing tricks on him, remembering the manner in which he was so often greeted by that woman._

_The street was…entirely empty. There was not a person in sight. There was not even a remnant of the bodies he had seen from the night before. They had already been cleared away. The place was deserted._

_He was…alone._

_The young Uchiha heard a subtle drip in the surface of the body of water beside him. And another. In no time at all, the drizzle transformed into a steady downpour, and the child lifted his eyes to the dark sky overhead. He had not noticed before. Had not realized those storm clouds. He had been too worried about what the nurses had said, had been too focused on proving them wrong, on seeing for himself._

_On proving it had only been a dream._

_Sasuke took a step forward, slowly placing one foot in front of the other, taking to the familiar path he had taken every day on his way home. As he lethargically moved passed Teyaki's bakery, he could hear an exchange within his head._

"Why does auntie have to come over tonight?"

"She's family, Sasuke. I want you to be on your best behavior."

"But, Kaa-san…you don't like her, either."

"I like your aunt perfectly fine. After all, she's family. We respect and love family, no matter who they are."

_His mother's voice was suddenly replaced by another, a much more animated, younger voice._

"So…any idea when the storm is supposed to roll through?"

"Are you talking about auntie?"

_He could see his aunt again. She had stopped him on his way to school, she was sweeping the bakery entrance, and had paused to offer her nephew a smile._

"Sasuke-chan. Are you going to school, now?"

"Yep."

"I just met with Itachi-chan earlier. He's become a fine man. He's a first class shinobi now. He graduated head of the class from the Academy at age seven. Then he became a Chuunin at age ten."

"He was able to use the Sharingan at age eight."

"You're right. He's the pride of the Uchiha clan, that child."

_In that moment, all other voices faded, and it was suddenly Itachi's that resonated in his mind…_

"Sometimes, there are people close to you who you might not agree with and who frustrate you, but that does not change that they are close to you."

"So, it's like Kaa-san said. We have to love her because she's family."

"That's a good way of explaining it. And that's why, even though they argue with her, everyone still spends time with her."

"But, if she wasn't family, we wouldn't have to."

"No, I suppose we wouldn't. But, then…if everyone got along, it wouldn't be as amusing, would it?"

_Sasuke paused in his steps, lifting his head from the ground, and turned to his right. He suddenly realized how far he had been walking, and he turned around, glancing back down the path. It did not change anything, though. No matter how many times he looked back over the street, no matter what voices he heard in his head, no one appeared. None of the figures in his mind morphed into anything of substance._

_He stared out over the deserted street a moment longer, before turning, taking the final turn, and moving slowly until he finally came to a stop outside his house. In that moment, a rumble of thunder shook the ground, and the child could not help but instinctively cringe in response. However, as the storm ensued, he could feel his own thoughts drowning it out. He did not hear another crash. He merely stared silently, unmoving, at his front door._

_He hesitated, before extending his hand and slowly sliding the door open. He stared into the empty house, glancing first to his right, and then to his left, but there was no one. The small child took a step inside, out of the rain, and, suddenly, his mother's smiling face appeared in front of him._

"Welcome home, Sasuke."

_The Uchiha could feel a smile slowly overtaking his expression, but it faded the instant he realized…this wasn't real, either. His mother was not standing in the entrance, waiting for him, ready to welcome him when he returned. There was no one. The house, like the street outside, was empty._

_He lowered his gaze and slipped his shoes off his feet, before stepping into the main area of the house. Glancing aside to his right, he peered into the laundry room, to the pile of clothes atop the dryer. A few had been placed in the basket. His mother had not finished folding them._

_The child stepped passed the room, making his way outside, to the porch. His gaze was fixed on the ground. He let his feet carry him, paying little heed to the direction he was taking. It was strange, walking across the porch, his house empty. It was never empty. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was still expecting someone to appear, to suddenly walk past him on the porch. He could almost see his father's figure, glancing down at him briefly with his usual frown. As he turned, taking a stop in the doorway, it was if his mother was calling to him, asking him to wait._

_She often did that. When he had been practicing his fire technique, she had applied ointment to heal the burns on his face. And, as always, that kind smile had overtaken her entire countenance._

_Before Sasuke realized it, he found himself smiling at the memory._

_There was a crash. The sound had come from the kitchen. The child's eyes widened immediately, and he rushed through the house, making a dash for the room. He thrust the door open, and shouted desperately, "Kaa-san!"_

_With a sudden flash of lightning, however, he was shaken from any such thoughts. It was a cat. A black cat was standing on the counter, meowing viciously at him, before turning and hopping out the open window. The child's wide eyes lowered, and his determined stance relaxed in disappointment._

_The cat…it brought forth a different image. One of a young girl walking back and forth along the beach, or hurrying beside him with a large book held firmly in her arms._

"Nii-san…"

"What is it, Sasuke?"

"If I have friends, does it mean I'll get to spend less time with you?"

"A few friends won't get in the way."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

_The child averted his stare from the window, instead glancing around the kitchen. He could see his mother standing at the sink, washing dishes, smiling over at him. He could hear his own, exasperated voice ringing out._

"Then why does he only look at Nii-san?!"

"Your Nii-san is your Nii-san. You are you. Your Tou-san always thinks about the both of you."

_Sasuke's brow furrowed. His mother was always in the kitchen. She would always shoo him away when she prepared his birthday dinner, always surprising him with some new concoction in place of a cake. It was in that moment that the child realized today was July 23__rd__. Today was his birthday. His dark eyes wandering over the stove, he wondered what his mother had been planning to prepare for him this year. If it would have been better than last year's._

_His older brother was suddenly smiling at him. That same, kind smile as his mother's._

"Your birthday is unique to you, just like mine is to me."

_Nii-san and Kaa-san…they were both telling him the same thing. He was different. He was not his brother. No matter how much his father would compare him to Itachi, both his mother and brother had constantly been telling him, all of his life, that he should strive to be unique. To be his own person._

_Sasuke found his eyes wandering over the sink. The faucet was still dripping. His mother had not turned the handle all the way. She was sometimes negligent of such things. He managed a small smile, before turning and leaving the kitchen. There was one room…one room he needed to see._

_The thunder continued to rumble outside, and with each angry crash, he could feel himself stiffen. He stopped outside the door, outside his parents' room, and could almost hear an exchange with his father._

"Can I sleep in here?"

"You're scared of a little thunderstorm? That's shameful. Do you think your brother was ever scared of a little rain?"

_The young Uchiha bit his bottom lip, hesitating a moment, before pushing the door open. The room, like every other part of the house, was vacant. As his eyes swept over the area, however, he paused. There, his brother had stood, the pale moonlight streaming in through the window, revealing his features. There, he had stood over the lifeless bodies of their parents._

_The child stepped forward, slowly forcing one foot in front of the other, until he finally came to a stop beside the place where his parents had lay. A white, chalk outline had been made of their bodies. From the outline, it was apparent they had been left to lie in a mangled heap. Their bloodstains were all that remained._

_His aunt, with her prying smile and self-satisfied way of carrying herself…_

_His uncle would always call her out on it, and would almost immediately take it upon himself to reassure the child…_

_Shisui had always grinned, hopped off whatever new height he had decided to perch on, would salute to the pair of them and then begin an animate conversation with Itachi…_

_His father, that frown of his…the way he always crossed his arms in front of him. How he always looked so grumpy…_

_His mother, that sweet smile of hers…her kind voice…she had always gone out of her way to cheer him up, to patch him up when he injured himself…always in the kitchen making the next meal, in the laundry room washing their clothes, roaming through the house just to make sure everyone was alright…_

_He could feel a stinging sensation welling up in his eyes. He could not hold it back this time. The tears streamed freely down his face, and Sasuke fell to his knees in front of the chalk outline of his parents._

_There was a sudden, angry crash of thunder._

"Nii-san?"

"What is it, Sasuke?"

"I don't feel as scared when you're around."

"Aa…same here."

_But Itachi was not around. He was gone. He had vanished, without a trace. After killing their parents, after murdering every member of their clan, the man had disappeared. And now…now, he had left Sasuke completely alone. That hot, stinging sensation ensued, tears falling to the floor beneath him. He released a quiet sob._

_It had not been a dream. It had really happened. His parents were gone. His family was gone. And his older brother had never actually cared about him._

_He was alone._

…

That was the first time…he had even been alone on his birthday. And it was the first time…it had ever stormed on that day. It was the first time he had ever had to face a thunderstorm on his own. The first time he had come to terms with what had happened…with the Uchiha massacre.

And it was the last time he had ever let himself cry.

Sasuke pressed his eyes shut, forcing it back. Forcing it all back. But it was not working. As seemed to have become almost customary, he angrily pounded his fist against the bed. He needed to get this under control. He could not let it affect him…

"_I'll always be here when you need my help."_

"Shut-up," he muttered.

"_Don't worry, Sasuke. I'll always be here to protect you."_

"Shut-up!" the Uchiha ordered, slamming his fist against the bed once more.

"_As an obstacle you need to overcome…I'll always be there for you."_

"Damnit…Damnit, damnit, damnit!" he screamed. He could feel that familiar sensation building up, trying to take hold of him. "You said you'd always be there for me!"

His hand fell still, and he buried his face in his pillow. It took every ounce of self-control he had to keep that stupid impulse in check. His older brother had always promised him, had always assured him that, no matter what happened, he would always be there for him. He would always show up when something was wrong, always seemed to emerge at just the right time. He always knew what to say, and what to do. And he always did it with a sort of underlying calm and patience.

"You said…you'd be there…"

Sasuke pressed his eyes shut tighter.

'_I want us all to be together like this, forever!'_

"But…you're not… You're not, Nii-san."


	16. Encounter of Intrigue

**A/N: I apologize again for taking so long to get this chapter up. I've been really busy. Hopefully the next one won't take so long. Thanks for the favs, follows and reviews, they're always much appreciated. Enjoy, and read "Illusions of Serenity" and "Vigil of Sorrows" as well.**

* * *

Emulation of Apathy

Chapter XVI

"Encounter of Intrigue"

…

He stood with his arms folded in front of his chest, and his back leaned casually against the wall. His dark gaze was not fixed on anything particular, and in fact, there was a certain glaze over his eyes, which stared pointedly into nothingness, indicative of an absent mind. His expression was unreadable. Even inattentive, with thoughts faraway, his countenance defaulted to that typical apathy.

Beside him, the older man leant against the wall as well, in a very leisurely manner, and he too had his arms crossed, though his entire being gave off a much more relaxed aura. On his face, a smile etched at the corner of his mouth, and his glowing yellow eyes peered out from beneath his sleek, ebony hair, ever watchful.

The two stood side by side, beside the entrance of a rather cluttered shop, and the older of the two kept his watchful gaze fixed on the different groups of people who walked in and out, and perused through the aisles. He took in the various conversations throughout the store, and allowed his smile to grow just a little wider at each amusing interaction.

Time was passing slowly, and outside the shopping area, the sun burned brightly in the afternoon sky. It seemed almost fixated on that one point in the sky, as if refusing to continue on its course and fall any lower, as if trapping everyone in that one single hour.

But it had not just been an hour. In fact, these two had been standing in this same position for almost three hours, now. And not by their own design, either. Quite the contrary. They had agreed earlier that morning to take a shopping detour, and, since then, they had finished their own shopping and had proceeded to wait by the entrance for the third member of their company. And the third member was taking his time near the back of the store, completely absorbed in all the labels, and balancing the prices.

As he did every time he was released on a store.

An old, wooden carved clock hanging on the wall chimed again, for what was the fourth time since they had arrived at the store, and several shoppers began filing out of the doorway. The older man gave the younger a slight nudge in the side, and, barely shifting position, they both moved to the right a few feet. As the clock continued to tick on the wall, and as more and more people exited the store, leaving it almost vacant, even the previously amused inhabitant began to show signs of impatience. He began shifting his weight back and forth between his feet, and crossing and uncrossing his arms. At one point, he started tapping his index finger against his folded arm, and it was then that conversation finally made its way between these two.

"How long has it been, Sasuke-kun?"

The younger shinobi pulled his mind from its wanderings, alerted by the sound of the older man's voice, and he proceeded to lift his eyes to the clock. After a brief calculation, he replied in a dry tone, "4 hours and 23…24 minutes."

"Has it?" the Sannin mused, and his gaze drifted to the back of the store, where he was obviously casting that partial glare at his subordinate. "What exactly do you suppose he's buying this time?"

Sasuke gave a disinterested shrug of his shoulders, "Nothing useful. He might not even be buying anything. Just looking. After all this going back and forth, he's probably going to decide it's not worth the expense."

"How whimsical," Orochimaru released a low, throaty chuckle. "Dear Kabuto, concerned with something as insignificant as price."

"It's Kabuto," Sasuke drawled. "He has a knack for doing…_insignificant_ things."

The chuckle erupted once more from the Snake Master, and Sasuke held back the bored sigh he was threatened to release. He turned his gaze from the Sannin and began a slow sweep of the store. How anyone could find something so interesting in a place like this astounded him. Spending hours in here was utter nonsense. But then…it was as he had said. This _was _Kabuto.

"Sasuke-kun!"

The Uchiha returned his onyx stare to Orochimaru, and the older shinobi proceeded to hand his grocery bag to him.

"I am going to do a bit more shopping," the Sannin informed him. "You never know what you might find after looking through something a second time. Perhaps even a third."

"Please tell me you're joking," Sasuke deadpanned, feeling a slight impatient twitch of his finger in his hold on the groceries.

"Quite the contrary," Orochimaru disagreed with that usual, amused smile of his. And with that, he was off, turning abruptly and beginning a leisurely pace down the rows of aisles.

The young Uchiha allowed the sigh, leaning back against the wall once more and setting the bags of groceries on the floor. This entire detour was such a waste of time. If it seemed as if it was going to near 5 hours, he would approach Kabuto himself and, more than likely, Orochimaru would agree, and they would force him to abandon this useless escapade of his.

Sasuke really did wonder if that vindictive little moron did it on purpose, just for the sake of annoying him. He would not put it past him. There were many things he did on purpose, after all, deny it though he might. Couldn't have his dear Orochimaru-_sama_ know that, after all.

Oh well.

He rested his dark eyes on the Snake Master, watched him make his way through the aisles, but, before long, he began to detect that same, underlying impatience. His smile was gone, and his eyes were narrowed in boredom. With a smirk, Sasuke realized that he was not the only one getting fed up with the ridiculous medic. Perhaps waiting any longer would be pointless.

The shinobi pushed away from the wall, not bothering to take the bags with him. The shop was almost entirely deserted, so there was no one who could take them, and this encounter with Kabuto should not take long. He crossed the store and came to a stop beside the idiot, who was currently muttering something under his breath as his black eyes darted from a box in his hands and one on the shelf in front of him.

Sasuke proceeded to snatch the box away from him, and Kabuto's mouth dropped in a bewildered gape.

"Buy this one," he drawled.

"_Excuse you_!" the moronic Genin straightened himself, as if to tower above the younger shinobi.

However, it had been several months now since Sasuke had passed the moron in height, something Kabuto clearly refused to acknowledge. So it really was counterproductive. No matter, his ridiculous attempts to appear intimidating, superior were actually rather amusing.

The young man then rested his hand on his hip and began complaining, "Sasuke-kun, you really have no knowledge of such matters, and things such as these need to be considered carefully. I would not expect a child like you to understand. It has to do with medicinal remedies, and, as the medic, it is my duty to consider all scenarios and arrive at the appropriate conclusions. I am currently engaged in a battle of wits against the printers of these labels, and-"

"If it's a battle of wits, you already lost," Sasuke drawled, before tossing the box in the moron's shocked face. "Buy that, and let's go."

The Genin released a bewildered gasp, clearly taken aback, and, as if on cue, the Sannin arrived on their aisle.

"Orochimaru-sama!" Kabuto rounded on his master. "I am _trying_ to explain to Sasuke-kun why this purchase is so important, and why it takes a particular level of concentration, but he is behaving like a child. Always so rude and impatient!"

"Kabuto," Orochimaru's mouth turned in that amused smile once more, "no one has patience quite like you."

The medic's expression shifted to one of self-satisfaction, and he took his master's remark with a pleasant smile. "That's very true," he agreed.

"Yes, it is. Now, make your purchases," the older shinobi instructed, before immediately walking past the two of them. "Sasuke-kun and I will go on ahead. You can catch up."

The smirk returned to Sasuke's mouth at the befuddled look on Kabuto's face, and he focused a pointed look on the idiot.

"You heard Orochimaru-_sama_," the Uchiha stressed the ending, and Kabuto's glare was enough to satisfy. However, when he proceeded to lift his middle finger and push his glasses up the bridge of his nose, the smirk widened and Sasuke released a quiet grunt.

"Hn."

Always such a dumbass.

He turned and followed Orochimaru out of the shop, grabbing the bags on his way out, and then wincing slightly at the beating sunlight. Summer was always such an insufferable season. Whatever, it was only another month before the onset of autumn, and that was always a welcome reprieve from this stupid heat.

One year and two months…

As Sasuke walked alongside the Snake Master, he again repeated this in his head, reminding himself how much time he had left. How much time there was to train. How much time he had to remain the Sannin's pupil and put up with these wasteful endeavors. How much time he had left before he could finally face Itachi again. And defeat him once and for all.

He had been training, nonstop, for almost two years, now. Orochimaru had begun to send him on random missions, odd jobs here and there, usually involving the retrieval of escaped prisoners, though on rare occasions he sent Sasuke to collect specific targets for him. And, of course…sometimes, he sent him on Kabuto's ridiculous quests, to collect some stupid plant, and once he had even sent him along with the moronic medic because, apparently, the man could haggle money rather well, but he was not much of a threat to the sort of people he often dealt with.

Sasuke internally smirked at the thought. Leave it to Kabuto to get himself in over his head.

Of course, it was annoying, actually rescuing that idiot's worthless ass, but just the fact that he could hold that over him was a satisfying feeling. Kicks from that dumbass had remained just as frequent, but he had actually managed to stop him a few times without any mention of Orochimaru, by simply activating his Sharingan and sending him through a brief illusion. The Genin had proceeded to lecture him thoroughly afterwards, but, when the case had been brought to Orochimaru, the Sannin had only chuckled and informed Kabuto that he was still sweating.

His Sharingan was actually developing rather well, and it was taking less and less chakra to keep it activated for longer stretches of time. He now had the cursed seal under complete control and had taken to using it as an extra reserve of chakra, which, more than anything else, came in handy when using Chidori. Other than that, he had been trying to minimize his usage of the seal, preferring to rely on his own strength, rather than some questionable power given to him by the Snake Sannin. Not to say he would not utilize it when necessary. It _was_ his power, after all.

As for a certain other power, the advanced technique Orochimaru had taken it upon himself to teach Sasuke, that was developing rather nicely, as well. It was tricky, utilizing the forces of nature already at hand rather than his own chakra, but, truth be told, once he had gotten the hang out of it, it was actually rather simple. And significantly less draining than any technique he had ever used. He had not quite mastered it yet, but he was close. Very close. And, though it was only good for one use in a given sitting…one use was, after all, all he needed. The effect was instantaneous, it was impossible to dodge, and, if he dedicated his chakra and perhaps even that of his opponents to heating the surrounding atmosphere, the match would be finished in a matter of minutes. All he would have to do when the storm began was drive the lightning straight through the bastard's skull.

The mere thought of it brought a visible smirk to the corner of the young shinobi's mouth. Uchiha Itachi, struck dead by the one thing his little brother had once feared most. The irony of it was almost unbearable. He could not possibly imagine a more fitting demise for that heartless bastard.

"Orochimaru-sama!"

And, that was all it took to shatter his train of thought.

The Sannin halted in his steps and glanced over his shoulder, that ever-amused expression plastered across his face. Sasuke resisted the urge to shake his head, proceeding to shift his eyes and catch a glimpse of their idiotic medic, who was running up to them, grocery bags in either hand.

"Kabuto," Orochimaru's jagged teeth were revealed in his grin. "Did you end up buying it, after all?"

"Well," the moron began, coming to a stop and not even pausing to catch his breath, though it was obvious he was winded. Clearly, giving his dear master this absurd explanation was more important. "As you know, I am well trained in the art of stealth, and because of this, I can pick it out quite easily in others."

Bullshit. But, of course, Kabuto was always lost in his delusions.

"With that being the case," here, the Genin released a quiet laugh to himself, "I knew they were trying to mask a faulty product behind those pleasant fallacies and attractive labels. When I realized that, I knew with utmost certainty that the buy was not worth the expense. No one can fool me, Orochimaru-sama."

"Such incomparable skills of deduction," Orochimaru's throaty chuckle sounded.

The imbecile accepted his master's praise with a self-satisfied smile, before hurrying forward and placing himself on the older shinobi's right side. He cast a slight glare in Sasuke's direction, but it was immediately replaced by that pleasant smile when he indulged in conversation with the Snake Master.

For some reason, Kabuto had adopted the ludicrous notion that Sasuke was trying to replace him as Orochimaru's right-hand man. Where he had ever come up with something so ridiculous was quite beyond the Uchiha's ability to comprehend. There really was no reasoning behind most thing's that moron did. But, because of these fears, the Genin had taken it upon himself to reassert his role at his master's side, taking it to a very literal level and insisting on always remaining on Orochimaru's right side, no matter the situation.

Of course, just for the sake of amusement, Sasuke had once pointed out that, from a different perspective, that of any observer, _he_ was actually the one standing to the right of Orochimaru. This had sent the moron into quite the dilemma, and he had spent weeks trying to sort out a way in which no one could possibly mistake the Uchiha for his master's right hand subordinate. He had never reached a solution, but it was likely the matter had slipped his mind. After all, he was quite the forgetful fellow. Perhaps Sasuke would bring the issue to the surface again the next time he felt like messing with the idiot.

"…isn't that right, Sasuke-kun?"

The Uchiha turned his gaze only slightly to focus his bored stare on the medic. He really had no idea what sort of conversation the two had engaged in this time, and he did not particularly care, either. However, he was also not in the mood for another of Kabuto's obnoxious lectures about his rudeness. He had suffered quite enough of the imbecile's antics for one day, and he was growing more and more impatient to reach the hideout and get away from him.

Therefore, he proceeded to give a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. It was a neutral response, one that should not call forth too much of a reaction.

"Precisely," Kabuto nodded, returning his dark eyes to his master, in that eager manner he sometimes did when he was pining for the older man's attention. "It's as I said. We've all missed that hideout. It is, after all, in an excellent location, and, now that the new facilities have been installed, an ideal spot both for your training and the relaxing bit of fresh air we've all been needing. Also, considering we only have a few weeks left of this summer weather, we might as well utilize the beach while we can."

Oh. The beach hideout again. This dumbass had been going on about that for months. How they needed to head back there again, how they needed to visit before the summer was over, how the training facilities had almost reached the final stages of completion.

Recently, and per request of their ever-thoughtful medic, the three had begun moving location every two weeks. They never stayed at a single hideout any longer than that, because, according to Kabuto, it would be too dangerous. They could not risk exposure. Therefore, every other Tuesday, they moved. It had actually become routine, at this point. Tuesdays, they moved. Wednesdays, they commenced training. Sundays, they went on those ridiculous walks which were, as the illustrious idiot put it, essential for everyone's health.

Yes, life itself had become routine. Days of the week had a designated purpose. And each day that did not, was dedicated to training. They moved, changed location, and no ties could be made anywhere they went. They always traveled light, they always moved within a period of 24 hours, and they never stayed at a single location any longer than two weeks. Sasuke had grown accustom to living on the bare minimum. The less he kept in one place, the less he would have to move or throw out when they changed to a new hideout. It actually made everything simpler, living with fewer attachments. And the routine of each day made suppressing any attachments that tried to resurface significantly easier.

Truth be told…it was kind of strange, going back there again. To the beach hideout. It had been over a year since the last time they had stayed, and, over the time that had elapsed, he had grown into a considerably different person. He had been weaker then. Both in his abilities and his constitution. In fact, it disgusted him, looking back at who he had been at the time. He had yet to even pick up a sword, and he had still been questioning his brother's motives for the murder of his family. He had been young and naïve, and time had taught him that more things were as they seemed than he had ever wanted to believe. His time with Orochimaru had taught him that, had shown him a glimpse into the mind of a person who was, indeed, truly heartless.

People like that existed in this damnable world, and he had woken himself from those childish fantasies. It would be easier, it was always easier, casting the blame somewhere else, trying to convince himself that there more was to everything, more behind Itachi's motives. To convince himself that his brother had not been deceiving himself and his entire clan for years, that he had not let himself be deceived.

But the simple fact was, this was not the truth.

Accepting that was the first step he had taken in casting those stupid idealistic thoughts aside. After that, it was a matter of pushing himself forward and pushing those damn memories further and further back, away from his conscious thought. The more he suppressed them, the easier it was to accept that his brother truly was nothing more than a heartless bastard who had deceived him and murdered his family. That was who Itachi was, and that was who Sasuke had taken it upon himself to kill.

Nothing else mattered.

* * *

"My humblest apologies, Orochimaru-sama."

The Sannin stared at his subordinate, his arms crossed in front of him and that amused grin never once leaving his face, and Kabuto stood once again to his right, one hand placed on his hip and the other inadvertently flicking the man off as he pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose. Sasuke stood to the other side of Orochimaru, a dull expression in place.

They had arrived at the hideout not moments ago, and the warden had run out to greet them the second they have arrived. It was instantly apparent that something was amiss. Honestly, the man had done a horrible job of concealing the fact. Not that they wouldn't have discovered the matter themselves as soon as they had actually walked inside, but the point remained. He could have at least put in a little effort. Instead, he had defaulted to groveling at his master's feet and spitting out an apology every other sentence.

Though, he had yet to get to his actual point.

"Daisuke-san," the medic addressed the man with a pleasant smile, lowering his hand to his side, "would it be too much trouble to ask you to stop with the digressions and tell us what it is you did to warrant so many apologies?"

The warden glanced between the three shinobi in front of him, before bowing his head in shame. "Orochimaru-sama," he began, his tone low and filled with remorse, "the prisoners…it's the prisoners."

A pause followed, and, when no further elaboration came, Orochimaru released a slight chuckle. It was not long before Kabuto joined him, and the Sannin fixed his serpent eyes on the terrified man in front of them. "Daisuke…what about the prisoners?"

"They have…," the warden bowed his head lower, "they have escaped, Orochimaru-sama. Every one of them. They broke out. They were all in a rampage, there was nothing I could do to stop them. It wasn't even…it couldn't have been half an hour ago." The man's voice quickened, he spoke in a rush, "They ran out, some could not even make it across the water. But they'd rather risk drowning than stay here. The others fled into the forest. I saw 26 of them drown, so that means 118 must have made it safely to the woods."

The silence fell once more, and Sasuke's onyx gaze shifted briefly to take in Orochimaru and his medic's pleasant smiles. It was almost eerie, how these types of situations affected them. They always found them to be profoundly intriguing, and nothing could break their amused smiles. For that matter, they were intrigued by quite a number of things. Things that the Uchiha could simply not understand.

Finally breaking the silence, Kabuto released a pleasant sigh. "Now then, Daisuke-san," he titled his head, "isn't that better?"

"B-better?" the man stammered.

"Better," the sadistic moron repeated, a small laugh forming. "With everything out in the open. No more secrets between us."

"I…," the warden shook his head, bowing again to the Snake Master. "I cannot begin to apologize enough, Orochimaru-sama. I would have pursued them myself, but I lack any tracking ability."

"So you do," Orochimaru agreed. "Kabuto, remind me, why did I appoint him as warden?"

The Genin looked to his master, the vindictive smile overtaking his countenance, and that all-too-familiar look forming in his eyes. "If memory serves me correctly, I believe it is because you needed him to overlook the construction of your training facilities."

"Are those facilities complete?" the Sannin probed, refocusing his yellow slits on the quivering man before them.

"They are, Orochimaru-sama!" he nodded his head vigorously. "I can attest to that personally! They were completed three weeks ago!"

"Three weeks," the older shinobi noted, and he gave a slight inclination of his head. "Excellent."

This man really was an idiot. Sasuke found it hard to even feel sympathy for him, with his current behavior. The one thing that could have saved his life was his continued usefulness, and he had just thrown that to the wind. It was apparent that he did not need to be in any position of leadership.

"Which direction were the prisoners last seen heading?" the imbecilic medic questioned the man.

Without a moment's hesitation, the warden pointed it out for them, and Kabuto awarded him a nod. Turning his back to him, the Genin proceeded to pull a small notebook out of his pocket and began jotting something down, most likely the direction so that he did not forget within the next ten seconds.

As he repocketed the book, Kabuto cast the man a smile and told him, "Thank you for your cooperation, Daisuke-san. It is much appreciated."

It was as if the man could sense his own fate. Things had finally snapped in place in that empty head of his, and he now looked to his master with pure terror in his eyes.

"It was a mistake, Orochimaru-sama!" he pleaded. "I am deeply sorry!"

"I understand, Daisuke," the Sannin assured him, his tongue extending from his mouth and his eyes widening a fraction.

"A mistake could happen to anyone," Kabuto piped in with a small laugh.

The warden lifted his eyes, but almost immediately bowed his head again, urging his master, "Forgive me, Orochimaru-sama."

…

"_Forgive me, Sasuke."_

_His older brother was smiling down at him, extending two fingers and bringing them to rest firmly against the smaller boy's forehead._

"_Next time, okay?"_

…

The Uchiha's dark eyes narrowed, only a fraction, and he turned his gaze from the idiot in front of him. He did not care what happened to him anymore. The moron had already thrown his life away by being so damn careless, and Sasuke had lost any remaining sympathy, now that he had called that memory to the surface. He focused all his attention on pushing it away, forcing that stupid, calming smile to the back of his mind.

In the midst of this, however, he felt a sudden movement beside him, and when he turned to face the morons, he saw Orochimaru approaching the warden. Without a second's hesitation, the Sannin snatched the man by the arm and threw him off the side of the cliff. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, as he saw the warden's brief moment of incomprehension, watched him fall, and then, with an abrupt thud, watched his useless body smash against the jagged rocks at the cliff's base. Blood seeped from every crevice of that broken form, but the sea washed it away, dispersing it in all directions until it faded completely, leaving no trace of the man's life.

"Well," Kabuto said from behind him, "that's that."

Both Orochimaru and his loyal subordinate burst into a morbid fit of laughter, and the Uchiha once again adopted his practiced façade, forcing any expression from his countenance and reclaiming his bored stance. It should not have surprised him. True, he had expected the Sannin to deal with the warden in a fatal manner, but he had not expected it to be so abrupt or even at the present time. But, he really should have been prepared for anything from that maniac. It really was a wonder that Orochimaru always somehow managed to surprise him.

"Sasuke-kun," the Snake Master turned his glowing eyes on the younger shinobi, and the Uchiha proceeded to rest his dull onyx stare on the man. "I have a new mission for you."

"You want me to retrieve the prisoners," Sasuke drawled, without any need for further elaboration.

Orochimaru released a soft chuckle, before his eyes widened and his snake tongue protruded between his sharp teeth. "Excellent, Sasuke-kun," he crooned fondly. "That is precisely what I had in mind. Now then, head in the direction Daisuke said they were last seen, and we will send someone after you before long to help you locate them all."

"Who are you sending?" the Uchiha questioned, narrowing his eyes slightly in concentration.

"Her name is Karin," the Genin answered from behind, and Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the mere sound of the idiot's voice. "She is a particularly skilled sensor type, and we arranged for her to meet us here a week in advance. You see, she helps us in conducting experiments from time to time."

"She has a unique ability," Orochimaru mused, his eyes widening in enthrallment. With a chuckle, he closed his eyes momentarily, before reopening them and focusing his attention on the Uchiha once more. "She'll meet up with you in the hour. Or two. However long it takes her to get here. Head in the direction and wait for her arrival."

"In fact," Kabuto turned his vindictive smile on the younger shinobi, "it really doesn't matter if you bring the prisoners back alive or dead. We just can't have them running off telling anyone the location of our hideout. And, even if they're dead, we can still utilize their corpses."

"An excellent point, Kabuto," the Snake Master licked his elongated tongue along the surface of his lips. "As always."

"Fine," Sasuke replied dryly.

With that, he took his leave of the pair of idiots and focused his chakra at his soles, jumping from the cliff to the beach below and then hurrying across the water. He did not want to hear any more from either of them. He had actually been looking forward to relaxing when they reached this hideout, and, within the course of a few minutes, he had already witnessed another killing and had been given a retrieval mission to round up over 100 escaped prisoners. On top of that, he had to deal with whoever this girl was those two were sending after him. It really was unlikely that she would prove to be very helpful.

They rarely were.

It did not take long for the Uchiha to reach the forest, and, upon his entrance, the sloppy trail of the prisoners was easy to detect. With a smirk, he pushed himself off the ground and onto a low-hanging branch in a nearby tree, before proceeding to peruse the vicinity with his eyes. There were traces of the chaotic attempt at fleeing in all directions, and he shook his head. It seemed they had split up. In a situation like this, perhaps a sensor type would actually come in handy. With a nod, he pushed off the branch and continued his pursuit, taking to the direction it seemed the highest number of prisoners had fled.

The thin streams of sunlight were slowly dimming, and the vibrant green of the forest was fading to an orange hue, reflecting the change in the overhanging sky. The shroud of night would soon fall, making it more difficult to pick up on the distinct signs of disturbance in forest life. Whoever that damn associate of Orochimaru's was, she needed to hurry. Then again, she could prove useless. He really shouldn't expect himself to be able to rely on her.

As he focused the chakra and pushed off the nearest branch, jumping to the next tree, his dark eyes wandered to the forest floor, and he could feel his mind wandering. It was nothing he felt any particular aversion to, however, and he therefore did not immediately put up any protection against the new infiltration of thought. And after all, in the lethargic task of tracking these prisoners, it was not as though it required his full, immediate attention.

Oh, what the hell…

…

_Sunlight streamed in through the foliage overhead, hitting the ground in sharp, fragmented patches. Trees past out of the peripheral vision at a steady, leisurely pace, as two children walked quietly under the shade of the trees. The boy loosened his grip on the kunai in hand, letting it hang limply at his side, while the girl resituated her hold on the large book she carried._

"_Hey, Sasuke?" the girl turned her curious eyes on the child beside her._

"_What?" he asked in an uninterested tone. The sluggishness of the day was weighing on him, and he had grown rather bored of their search._

_With a slight shrug, she asked, "What are your parents like?"_

"_My parents?" at this, Sasuke lifted his black irises from the ground to fix them on the girl, and he arched a curious brow. "Why?"_

"_Just wondering," Tamaki answered with a small smile. "I've met your mom before, but I was just curious what you have to say about them both. I don't really remember much about mine."_

"_Oh. Well…," the boy's eyes wandered in thought, before he replied, "they're very different from each other. Kaa-san is always around for everything, but Tou-san works a lot so he's kept pretty busy. Kaa-san's always been…hm…inspiring. No matter what, she always really helpful and encourages me. Tou-san..."_

_Sasuke's stare fell to the ground once more, and he furrowed his brow. His father had never congratulated him for anything, and the only thing he really ever inspired was a feeling of inadequacy, especially compared to his brother. His relationship with his father was nothing like his mother. In fact, one could even say they were the exact opposite. They could not be more different._

_However, when he glanced over at Tamaki and noticed the worried look overtaking her expression, he immediately lifted his head and put on a matter-of-fact tone._

"_Tou-san has higher expectations," he informed her. "He won't settle for anything but the very best, and that's exactly what I'm going to be. He makes me try my hardest every time. Kaa-san is pretty upfront about her feelings, but she says Tou-san is more reserved with his, because…"_

_Here, Sasuke lowered his voice and leaned closer to Tamaki, fighting the laugh as he whispered, "…he gets kind of awkward sometimes. He's pretty grumpy."_

_The small girl hid her giggle behind her hand, and her brown eyes lit up as she turned away from him._

_Sasuke did not bother fighting the laugh any longer, and he returned his gaze to face forward. Perhaps his father acted the way he did on purpose. After all, it did always compel Sasuke to try harder, to catch up to his brother, to finally be able to impress their father. Maybe it wasn't always as bad as he thought._

"_Your dad sounds funny," Tamaki noted, turning back to him with a grin._

"_Yeah, he is sometimes," the young Uchiha replied with a slight inclination of his head. "One time, Nii-san and I stayed up later than we were supposed to, and Tou-san woke up, so we hid from him in the bathroom so we wouldn't get in trouble. It was really hard to stop laughing."_

"_That sounds like fun," Tamaki giggled again, but her eyes widened suddenly. "Did he find you?"_

"_No," a proud smirk formed on the boy's face. "Nii-san's always the best at hiding."_

_The two continued in an easy silence after that, both smiling and walking beside each other as the patches of sunlight grew fewer and the color of the forest began darkening. They did not even notice the gradual change until Tamaki suddenly gasped._

"_Sasuke," she fixed her frightened stare on him. "It…it's getting pretty late."_

"_Yeah," the child's onyx gaze inspected the area in one sweep, before he turned in his path and motioned to her. "We should probably head back."_

_As they took the trail back the way they had come, Sasuke could already feel the disappointment beginning to stir in him. He had wanted to catch this cat today, to go home and show Itachi the new paw print, but tracking him had proven a rather troublesome task, and they had spent the entirety of the day searching without any luck. As he reached into the pouch at his side and stowed the kunai away, his lips jutted out in a slight pout._

"_It's okay, Sasuke," he heard Tamaki's reassuring voice beside him. "We'll catch him tomorrow. For sure!"_

_He nodded his head, but he could not full-heartedly agree with her. After all, there was no telling how long it would take to find him. If they found him at all. He had thought those very same words when he had set out that morning, that he would definitely catch him today, but he had been wrong._

_They trudged through the ever-darkening forest, the silence now falling to an uneasy one, and Tamaki inched closer to the boy beside her. When they heard a loud snap behind them, indicative of that of a tree branch, Sasuke whipped around, and she thrust out her hand and grabbed his arm, hiding herself behind him._

_Glowing eyes._

_They were met with glowing eyes, not ten feet from them, and the young Uchiha's dark eyes widened at the realization. Slowly, cautiously, he reached his hand into his pouch, grasped the kunai and gave Tamaki's arm a slight nudge with his free hand._

_The reaction was instantaneous. Without a moment's hesitation, she jumped to the side, hiding herself behind a large tree, as Sasuke pulled the kunai out and managed to dodge just in time before the lion lunged at him. He steadied his footing, tightening his hold on the weapon as he watched the lion attempt a recovery from its last attack. The Uchiha took his opening, dashing forward quickly and leaping into the air, before landing atop the startled creature's back. It immediately lunged again, but it stopped short in attempt to throw its unwelcome passenger off. But Sasuke held fast._

_In one swift movement, he retrieved six more kunai from his pouch, threw them to the ground in opposite directions, and then leapt from the lion's back. The animal turned, its sharp claws extending, but the child lifted his kunai and blocked the attack. When he landed, he tightened the string, and the cat was instantly rendered immobile, pulled to the ground from six sides._

_Sasuke smirked, his chin raising just a fraction in pride, before he glanced over his shoulder._

"_Tamaki!" he called, and her head popped out from behind the tree. "Bring the book."_

_An excited smile overtook the girl's countenance, and she abandoned her hiding place as she rushed over to him. "Sasuke, you did it!"_

…

He came to a stop, his dark eyes fixed blankly in front of him. Night had fallen, and the trail had all but vanished from his field of vision. Following the prisoners any further would be difficult. To think, there had actually been a point when tracking a single ninja cat had been a challenge for him. The mere thought was almost laughable. Tamaki had always been so worried about him, she had been concerned with his abilities each and every time, but each time he had proven how strong he was.

It made him wonder how she would react to him, now.

Just then, Sasuke heard a slight movement behind him, a subtle rustle of leaves in the tree directly behind him, but he did not move. He did not even turn his gaze. If it was an enemy, he would wait for the attack, allowing the person to believe they had the upper hand in surprise. The sound had been quite faint, after all, and it was likely whoever it was still believed himself undetected.

Not a moment later, she revealed herself to him, "Orochimaru-sama sent me to give you support, Uchiha Sasuke."

So, it was the sensor shinobi. She had certainly taken her time getting to him. Then again, perhaps Orochimaru and Kabuto were to blame for that fact. It really was difficult to say for certain. He was unsure how much information the two had given her, so it would make things easier if he just told her the details himself.

"Two hours ago," he began dryly, "118 test subjects broke out of the hideout." Lifting his head a fraction and trying to catch any sign of the trail, he mused, "Given the time frame, it's likely that they're still in the forest."

"It's my understanding that the mission was to capture them, dead or alive," the woman, who he recalled was named Karin, stated firmly.

Sasuke did not respond. Truth be told, he had no intention of killing any of them. Orochimaru's little cronies killed to their hearts' content, and, in biding his time to blatantly oppose the man, the least Sasuke could do was stand in their way whenever the opportunity presented itself. He had decided to bide his time, but he refused to follow in that snake bastard's footsteps.

Or the steps of his brother.

A life meant nothing to Itachi. He killed anyone who stood in his way, and even those who did not, those who had done absolutely nothing to him, and he did not give it a second thought. Sasuke would never allow himself to become like that man. Therefore, he would not take the life of any of these innocent prisoners, who had done nothing but find themselves in the most inconvenient clutches of the Sannin.

Finally, the Uchiha drawled, "Yeah."

"So then," Karin declared, "let us begin."

At that, Sasuke turned his head, glancing over his shoulder at the kunoichi as confusion overtook his countenance. He was curious to see how this one's power worked. She was a woman of small stature, with vibrant red hair and glasses, and she wore the _necessary_ purple, as did every associate of Orochimaru's. After returning his gaze for a brief moment, the woman closed her eyes.

He expected something to happen, but it didn't. She just…stood there. Was this her idea of beginning the search?

However, not a moment later, she opened her eyes and said simply, "Found them."

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Already? She had found all of them? That was…fast.

The kunoichi titled her head to the right and informed him in her harsh tone, "I'll take care of the closest ones. One is back 50 meters. Four are in front at ten o'clock."

That was surprisingly detailed.

However, he did not have time to marvel at her ability any further. She would take it upon herself to eliminate the targets, and he could not have that. Therefore, without a moment's hesitation, he immediately kicked off the tree limb and pushed himself at a slight angle toward the left. As he drew closer, he could see the signs of disturbance in a particular tree, and he came upon the first escapee with no trouble at all. He gathered chakra at his knuckles and knocked the man unconscious, before continuing forward and bestowing the same treatment upon the next three prisoners, who stared at him in shock.

As they each made a thud against the forest floor, Sasuke kicked off the branch and jumped past Karin, who was staring down at the display with wide eyes and her mouth agape. It was a look that vaguely reminded him of Kabuto, and he had to withhold the smirk. Exactly 50 meters behind her, he could see the faint outline of someone hiding behind a bushel of leaves, and he proceeded to knock him unconscious as well. The man fell from the tree with a grunt, hitting the ground before he even knew what hit him.

The Uchiha glanced over his shoulder, where he saw Karin staring at him, her hand resting against the side of the tree as if to balance herself.

"Can you keep up?" he asked the woman dryly, still doubtful of her abilities.

She held out her hands deliberately, insisting, "It's my mission, you know."

Is that what Orochimaru had told her? These idiots were all so naïve, they believed anything their master told them, and carried out his orders with an eager bounce in their step. It was revolting. Besides, he did not particularly care whether it was assigned as her mission or not, he was not about to let her unleash her abilities on these unfortunate souls.

"Karin," he addressed the kunoichi, "act as my eyes."

That seemed to set her over the edge.

"Don't tell me what to do!" she snapped, her hand raised in a fist.

Nevertheless, she proceeded to close her eyes, and he could tell she was again scanning the area. It really was an interesting and unique skill she possessed. He had never seen anything quite like it, and it was rather impressive. He had not expected that from one of Orochimaru's disciples.

"Three are located at 1:30…," she informed him, her tone noticeably calmer. "From there, five more are preparing to ambush from 9 o'clock."

Sasuke instantly launched himself from the tree, and he could hear her gasp from behind him. She followed impatiently, and he had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. This woman was certainly a cocky one, and she did not seem too keen on the idea of him taking charge. Was she trying to prove herself for some reason?

He spotted the prisoner, his back turned unsuspectingly, and when he landed beside him, the man barely had time to turn before Sasuke thrust his fist into his gut. He slid from the branch, unconscious, and the Uchiha hopped down to the forest floor before he even hit the ground. He could see another prisoner's head sticking out from behind a bush, and the other a few feet away, standing atop a low-hanging branch.

They were not the best at hiding. Clearly, they had not put much thought into this escape plan of theirs.

He rushed forward quickly and jabbed his fist into the nearest man's stomach, before jumping to the tree limb and rendering the next man unconscious as well. This one actually released a high-pitched scream, and Sasuke quickly stepped back and let him fall to the ground, hoping he had not given away his position.

9 o'clock.

He soared through the treetops and met the oncoming ambush. Well, what their idea of an ambush was, at least. It was pathetic. But then, he found it hard to hold these terrible strategies against them. He had seen the condition of Orochimaru's test subjects on multiple occasions, and he knew how they were treated. They were all huddled together in cramped cells, fed miniscule portions twice a week, their chakra and strength depleted, and they were never given the opportunity to recuperate. Right now, they were running on nothing but fear and adrenaline.

And rightly so. If he was in their position, he would be just as eager to escape, would lose his head in his desperation, with the chance of freedom so close at hand. It was almost tragic, what he was preventing. But, if he was not carrying it out, someone else would, and he was not powerful enough to put a stop to it just yet. Ironically, the one thing that would give him enough power was completing missions for that snake bastard. Missions very much like this one.

He and Karin continued the process for what felt like hours, a hindrance arising at each pause. Each time he asked her to detect the next set of prisoners, she felt a need to bicker with him, to reassert her authority. Perhaps she was one of the cronies who pined after the position of becoming Orochimaru's next vessel. It was very likely. That would make him the immediate competition.

A group of three was clustered together on one branch, and the Uchiha dashed forward, throwing his fist at each, until they all dropped to the ground below. He waited for the kunoichi's arrival, so they could continue, but it took her a few minutes. He had been moving too quickly for her again.

Finally, Karin landed behind Sasuke, her back to him, and he asked, "How much?"

"That last one was eighty-four," she informed him simply. However, before he could instruct her to track down the remaining test subjects, the woman titled her head to glance over her shoulder and addressed him, "Sasuke?"

He shifted his onyx gaze to meets hers, a questioning look in his eyes. Her tone was inquisitive. Different than it had been before.

"Why didn't you kill them?" she asked.

Well, that was certainly not something he was going to disclose to this woman. He hardly thought someone like _her_ would even understand, and even if she did, it was none of her concern. Therefore, he remained silent, maintaining that expressionless demeanor, and he simply stared at her, waiting for her to let the matter rest.

Of course, instead, she just made another comment, "You're too laid back."

Sasuke had to resist the glare he was tempted to give her. He hesitated a moment, before stating dryly, "There's only one man that I wish to kill."

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she turned to face him, her mouth falling open in a gape. Her entire bearing had changed. It was almost as if she was…gawking at him. She slowly stepped toward him, and Sasuke instinctively backed away from her approach, and, though it was dark, he noticed a slight flush to her cheeks. Pressing her eyes shut, she folded one hand around the other, as if she was hugging the air, and the Uchiha arched a confused brow at this display. Something was seriously wrong with this girl.

He heard a rustle overhead, however, and his head shot up. In the time they had been talking, four prisoners had taken the opportunity and prepared an ambush. They were hanging from the branches of a nearby tree, several meets above them. Sasuke's eyes darted back to the kunoichi, but she was still in that weird stupor.

"Karin," he said, in the hopes that it would grab her attention, and she snapped out of it with an astonished grunt.

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke pushed himself from the branch and met the four men in combat midair. He punched the first squarely in the face, and transformed a turn into a hard kick to the second. He did not hit the third, because the last man was hard on his heels, only managing to dodge them both, but he threw him off balance enough that he would not be able to catch himself before he landed on the ground. He then dived through the air at the fourth men and smacked him against the back of the head. He then steadied himself and landed on a nearby tree.

However, as that man fell, he collided against Karin, who was still gawking up at Sasuke, too distracted to move in time, and she lost her footing, falling from the treetops as well. That was when Sasuke noticed that the third prisoner had recovered, and he now held a knife at the ready, his eyes set on the falling woman.

"Karin!" Sasuke exclaimed, jumping from the tree and diving after her.

He met her mid-fall, wrapping his arms around her and swiftly drawing his sword from its sheath. He sliced it against the man's shoulder, using the force of the impact to push him and Karin back several yards from the spray of blood, and he landed easily. The strange woman stared at the fallen man with widened eyes for a moment, her hand still held firmly against Sasuke's chest, before turning her eyes on her rescuer.

"You did that…_for me_?" she asked in a captivated voice, sliding her hand onto his shoulder and staring up at him in awe.

"If I were to lose you, it would become difficult to apprehend all of them," the shinobi explained disinterestedly.

Of course, he would not have needed to do it at all if she had been paying more attention. In fact, it was the same behavior she had now that had caused all this trouble. She quickly pushed away from him, however, her brow lowered angrily and the flush creeping back over her face.

Turning her back to him and placing her hand firmly on her hip, Karin snapped, "I know that!"

Fighting the smirk and keeping his stare fixed forward, Sasuke noted that there were definitely similarities between this woman and a certain medic. However, there was a distinct difference in their abilities, and Karin was considerably more useful than Kabuto had ever been to him.

When she continued to remain silent, he turned his dark eyes to rest on her once more, and he realized that she had been staring at him again. He could not quite place the reason behind it. But then, now that he thought of it, for some reason, he had always had this effect on girls. It was not any different, really, than it had always been.

Arching a brow, the Uchiha pressed, "The others?"

* * *

The prisoners were being rounded up, Kabuto thankfully absent from his presence as the moron led the test subjects back into the hideout and to their appropriate cells, tallying the numbers and making sure they had all been accounted for. Sasuke and Karin were standing beside each other on the beach, facing Orochimaru, who was marveling over their handiwork.

"Excellently performed," he complimented, his glowing eyes wide in fascination. "Every prisoner retrieved, and not a single one of them fatally wounded. I would expect nothing less from you."

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama," Karin replied firmly, her hand on her hip. "Though, I was under the impression that this was _my_ mission. Sasuke tried to take charge the second I arrived."

The Sannin released an amused chuckle, fixing his eyes on the shinobi in question and running his tongue along the surface of his lips. "I would expect nothing less from our dear Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, but otherwise offered no reaction. Sometimes, he did not know how much Orochimaru really knew. So often, the man seemed like he knew everything. But then, he sometimes did that when he really had no idea what was going on. It was just the way he always acted, no matter what. Yet…even so, more often than not, he knew something that you did not want him to know.

"Have you decided, then?" Karin was currently asking her master.

"I have," Orochimaru gave a slight inclination of his head, that obsessed look fading to complacency as he casually crossed his arms in front of him. "Karin, I am appointing you warden of this hideout. All others have been killed, and the head warden has recently _retired_," he informed her with a grin. "But I know, because it's you, you can manage on your own."

Adjusting her glasses, the woman quickly assured him, "You can put your faith in me, Orochimaru-sama."

"And I do," the older shinobi replied.

So, _that's_ what this had all been about. This was who she had wanted to impress on the mission, why she had tried so fervently to take charge. She had wanted to use this opportunity to prove to Orochimaru how trustworthy she was, someone worthy of the position as warden. Just from what Sasuke had seen, she was a considerably intelligent woman, with a rare and useful ability, and she could hold her own rather well…when she wasn't lost in that weird daydreaming of hers. She was more accomplished than most of Orochimaru's subordinates, and actually had fair reason to assume herself worthy of such a position.

Of course, the fact that she wanted it so badly made the Uchiha wonder how loyal she was to the Snake Sannin.

"Thank you for this honor," Karin told the older man. "I accept it, wholeheartedly."

"Yes, I thought you might," the Snake Master returned simply. "Now then, it's been a long day, and I believe we could all do with one of Kabuto's meals and a decent night's rest."

A strange look came over Karin's face, then. Her eyes narrowed a fraction, and she pursed her lips, but she nevertheless offered a nod of her head. A small smirk forming at the corner of his mouth, Sasuke realized that she was just as disgusted by the idiot's meals as he was. As the two followed Orochimaru through the hideout entrance, the Uchiha continued to observe the young kunoichi.

She was an unusual person, there was no denying that, but, compared to some of the people he had met during his time with Orochimaru, she was actually considerably normal. She did jump between moods, and it seemed like everything about her changed with a particularly _mode_ she was in. Even the way she spoke would differ, changing to a harsh, commanding tone when she was trying to assert her authority, and then an odd, girly one when she entered those strange dazes of hers. But, at the very least, she did not seem insane.

And, if she wasn't _too_ loyal to Orochimaru…she just might come in handy…


End file.
